


Otto Hopps...A Rabbit's Story

by Furbearinvarmint



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-08 14:12:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18624877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Furbearinvarmint/pseuds/Furbearinvarmint
Summary: Otto Hopps was Bonnie Hopps Father, Judy Hopps Grandfather and called foxes red because they were made by the Devil.  Otto also had a life he'd never shared with his Rabbit family.  Otto was a soldier, a hero, a wounded veteran and like many warriors before him..he didn't talk about it.  Until now...and to Nick Wilde.





	1. A Rabbit Decides, It's Time

A RABBIT’S STORY     

Otto Hopps was tall for a rabbit, when he was younger he was mistaken for a hare. He was a soft grey color with dark black stripes. Well, nowadays, he was about all grey, the black stripes turning white years back.

Otto Hopps was feeling old for a simple reason. ‘I am old’ he thought.

‘Hell, I remember when dirt was clean’ the old buck said to himself, laughing at his own joke.

What he hated the most, especially at night, was when his memories came back. During the day, there were lots of grandkits and even great grand kits running around, making noise and chasing each other. Typical bunny behavior. ‘I love the noise and all the clatter’ even when he’d be acting like a crotchedy old buck and making noises about all the life around him.

‘I’ve just seen too much death, too much suffering…too much everything.’

Otto Hopps was the father of a small family for rabbits, just 23 bunnies, 15 bucks and 8 does, he lived with his youngest daughter Bonnie and her mate Stuart.

‘I’ll admit it, Bonnie was always my favorite daughter’ he’d tell to his friends. Sadly, he didn’t have any friends his own age, they were all gone now, and he was alone with his memories.

Otto was so proud of his grandkits. Lance Corporal Ronald Hopps was a warrior rabbit, sadly killed while protecting his fellow warriors. This buck so reminded him of himself when he was a young buck…but he died. Another bad memory.

Judy Laverne Hopps was his warrior doe grandkit. She was a tough little thing, she was braver than any other grandkit from any rabbit family. “ ** _A tough doe is a fearless foe_** ,” he’d always said to his friends.

At this point they’d just smile and give him an, “Ok Otto, we know all about fearless does”.

Now Judy Hopps was a ZPD officer in Zootopia, a real hero with the scars to prove it. Her mate was a red fox, another officer named Nicholas Piberius Wilde and the only warrior fox Otto knew. ‘His parents must have really been mad at the kit to saddle him with that name,’ he pondered. ‘Piberius…really?’ ‘Why not just call the boy “Stinky McStinkface” and be done with it?’

“Poor Todd” he’d said to Bonnie. Which surprised his daughter since she’d only heard, “Foxes are red because the Devil made them” from her father whenever a fox would be mentioned.

Now, he had a warrior grandkit Judy, and a warrior Fox grand-son-in-law. He needed to talk with Nicholas Piberius Wilde.

“He’s the only one I can talk to, to tell my story…he’ll understand and can talk to my family…both my families’, he told Bonnie.

“You’ve got to have him come, I need to talk to Nicholas…Please…have him come, I need him to understand”...he was now crying on Bonnie’s shoulder.

Bonnie had never seen her father cry, not even when her mother, his mate, died. When upset, her father got very very quiet, crying, never! Bonnie was scared.

‘Nick and Judy had to come, now,’ the doe thought…’but how to do this?’

Bonnie called her daughter, “Judith, we need to talk.’

“Oh cheese and crackers Mom!” Judy squeeked. “Judith? Mom, what did I do wrong, really, I didn’t know I shouldn’t….NICK, come here, did you do something I don’t know about?”

“Huh, what, Nooooo, can’t think of anything that would get Mom upset?” he squeeked too, not even bothering with a smirk as he looked at his bunny mom.

“Nicholas and Judith…Pop Pop wants to see you, especially Nick,” Bonnie said, eyes wide and nose wiggling.

“Otto didn’t get a new fox taser he wants to try out did he?” Nick commented, his smirk coming back on line.

Bonnie was shaken up and gave such a worried and sad look, Nick could only say, “We’ll be there tomorrow, have to clear it with Buffalo Butt first.”

Wondering out loud, Nick and Judy were both confused, “Why does Pop Pop want to see Nick…and why not Me too!?” Judy asked.

“We’ll both be there tomorrow, get the blueberries ready for your favorite fox…bye Mom,” they both said.

“Well Fluff, since your fox is going into the jaws of the beast tomorrow, I think I need some special care” Nick said, giving his fox-pout face, “well, it was worth a try”.

 

 

 


	2. A FOX COMES TO BUNNYBURROW

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Judy Wilde-Hopps have to get Chief Bogo's permission to head to Bunnyburrow.

The Next morning, things aren’t any clearer. Nick just keeps seeing Bonnie Hopps’ worry and pain and his mate’s eyes reflecting her fear.

“OK Nick, you know mammals…why is Pop Pop so upset?” Judy asks.

“Not a clue Fluff, I have no idea, especially about him wanting to see me, that has me worried the buck is having some real mental problems,” Nick did not want to think about Judy’s grandfather this way, but, this was a mammal who hated foxes.

“So, what do we tell the Chief?”…Judy asked, “do we lie, tell an odd story or just be honest?”

“Honest, what’s the honest reason?…I know I sure don’t have a clue about why ‘Pop Pop’ suddenly wants to talk to the Devil’s spawn.” “I suggest going with your mother having some sort of crisis with your grandsire going nuts…other than that, I got nothing.” Nick softly said, “I just don’t have a clue why the change in him”.

‘Sigh, well I guess I’ll try honest? More honest? Mostly honest?...oh cheese and crackers, I’ll let Nick give the reason and try and look worried and bunny-bothered’ Judy thought. ‘Might work…I got nothing either’.

Knocking on Chief Bogo’s door, “What! Come in!” is their welcome.

The pair are in the big mammal chair, sitting side-by-side, Judy with her ears down and slightly blushing, Nick looking blank and not a smirk in place. Both holding each other’s paw for support

“Oh hell, now what am I going to deal with…it’s too early to drink!” Bogo grumbles to himself.

“Chief…ummm, Chief…ahem…you know how…no, that’s not right…Chief,,,”

“Wilde, shut your little annoying mouth…NOW!” Rubbing his nose and not enjoying his first headache of the day. “Hopps, excuse me, Officer Wilde-Hopps, please tell me why you are making my morning Dante’s 3rd Ring of Hell on a Monday morning after I had a lovely pain free weekend.”

Judy starts to sniffle, blush, squeezes Nick’s paw harder and finally starts the story of her mother’s call, “Mom’s upset, Pop Pop never cries, he needs to talk to Nick, he’s old, was a soldier 75 years ago, a purple heart and he wants to talk to Nick about something, we don’t know why.”

Chief Bogo looks at Judy and softly asks, “Wait, he’s a war veteran, one of Zootopia’s greatest generation, still alive in his 90’s and wants to speak with Officer Wilde and is crying…and he’s never spoken about his time in the service before?”…sighing, “is that correct?”

Nodding, all Judy can say is, “Yes sir. Pop Pop has never spoken with anyone in the family about what happened in the service, all of his old fellow veterans and friends are dead and he’s upset about something as he’s never been visibly upset before.” My mother is scared and called us last night and asked, actually pleaded, for us to come up…well, for Nick to come up and talk to Pop Pop. He didn’t ask for me, just Nick by name.”

Nick is shaking his head, eyes sadly looking at his mate, never releasing her paw, “I really don’t have anything to say Chief, I never spoke to Mr. Hopps, he doesn’t know me…heck, most of the time he calls Judy by the wrong name, Trudy.” “I know my partner is scared, he mother is scared and doesn’t know what to do…I’m trying to do what I can, but I can’t give you a reason other than I love these two does and don’t want them hurt if I can do anything. In this case, what an old buck who hates foxes suddenly wants to see a red Devil’s creation, namely, one Nick Wilde of the ZPD and mate of his grandkit.”

Chief Bogo is a combat veteran, like almost all warriors, he’s never told anyone his stories and experiences. ‘They would never understand, and I don’t need to explain myself and what I did to some mammal who wasn’t there’. “If Mr. Hopps, a purple heart veteran and one of the mammals who kept Zootopia free over 70 years ago wants, needs to talk, to a fox who is one of my officers, I cannot ignore his wishes. He has earned your time and understanding. He has earned my understanding and I can only do whatever I can to help this warrior to find some peace or forgiveness in his soul.”

Taking his glasses off, Bogo can only wipe them and his eyes, seeing his own sadness and the horrors he remembers every day, ‘I can’t share mine, maybe Officer Wilde can help Mr. Hopps share his…he deserves the chance’.

Chief Bogo sadly looks at his two officers, quietly saying, “Go help the mammal, give him what you can to help him forget, forgive or explain what happened to him 70 years ago,” and even more quietly, “Do what you can, and never judge, you weren’t there.”

Judy is wide-eyed at Chief Bogo and is looking down at the floor, not being able to say anything, ‘I can’t help, he wouldn’t take it and I don’t know how…maybe helping Pop Pop can help the Chief…knowing that sometime he can share and stop some of the memories.’

Nick can only hold his mate’s paw, give a squeeze and say, “C’mon Fluff, we have to go see a rabbit”…looking at the Chief, Nick gives a real salute, no smirk and nods his head at the buffalo. ‘I have nothing I can say…this is not going to be a good visit for us, but then, it’s not for us anyway…c’mon fox, make your Father proud’.

“Thanks Chief, I’ll try and do you proud”…’and wish me luck, I don’t know what to do besides listen to an old warrior who for some reason, wants to talk to a fox.’


	3. Benjamin and Bogo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter that just happened...Sometimes ripples just happen

Officer Ben Clawhauser was on his 2nd bowl of Luckychomps of the morning and was reaching for his morning goodness of a chocolate sprinkled donut as he watched his favorite ZPD officer partners leave the building.  “OM Goodness, they are not having a good morning” he said to no one in particular.  Judy’s ears were flat down her back and Nick couldn’t even work up a good smirk and goodbye to the cheetah. ‘What happened in the Chief’s office this time’, he wondered.

“Benjamin”, Chief Bogo called down, “would you please come up to my office for a minute…get Wolfard to cover for you.”

“Wait, what! No, not the front desk…I hate the front desk.” Wolfard whined.

“Don’t be such a kit…er, pup partner!” Officer Fangmeyer snickered. 

“Fangmeyer, help your partner on the desk too!” Bogo called.  ‘I hate whiners…now they’ll have company’.

“Oh gawd…Benjamin? He doesn’t call me Benjamin, ever…not good, not good at all.”  ‘C’mon Cheetah, take the stairs, it’s good exercise’ he scolded himself, as he pushed the elevator button and waited for the doors to open. 

“Ben, would you please have a seat and give me a few minutes of your experience” Bogo asked. 

Benjamin Clawhauser was a vet, a combat vet with 3 purple hearts, a bronze star and bad memories. Chief Bogo was one of the very few mammals who knew what his fattest and most jovial officer actually was…a true warrior who had hated almost every second of his time in the Army, but did his duty, came home and didn’t talk about it. His memories were killed by food, ‘well, muted by sweets’ Ben told himself.  The Chief knew he could talk with Ben, he’d understand.

“You carry enough of a load Ben…but after Wilde-Hopps this morning, could you give me a few minutes, one ex-troop to another?”  Bogo said quietly not yet able to meet the officer in the eyes.

“Sure Chief!” he responded in his usual cheerful manner, until he met Bogo’s eyes as the buffalo finally looked up, “Uh, of course sir, anytime…a bad morning?” as he sat back to listen, eyes set and no smile visible.  The unseen by the ZPD, “real” Clawhauser, was needed by his friend, the warrior was back, front and center.


	4. Coffee and Blueberries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Otto, simple as that. A warrior fox to finally talk with.

Nick finally got Judy settled on the Bunnyburrow Express.  ‘She’s asleep and peaceful’ he signed, ‘My poor bunny, we just don’t seem to get any breaks.’ 

‘For once, I wish we could just coast, to not be the “go to” mammals for everyone’s problems.’ Nick loved his doe, but his partner was getting worn down with all the mammals who dumped their problems on her.  Quietly grumbling, “I know, I know, it’s the pair of us…but I can turn it off or at least pretend it doesn’t bother me.  Fluff, she can’t, she wears her heart and her caring on her sleeve.”

‘Shut up Nick, you’re here because of her caring’ his conscience said, ‘yeah, but I didn’t ask her for her heart, I didn’t want it.’

‘Liar’, his heart told him, ‘You’d die for that little grey bunny, she would for you too!  You did want it so don’t pretend.’

‘I hate arguing with myself, I don’t’ fight fair….I’m going to sleep, think we’re both going to need it’ as he curled up to his mate, wrapping her in his tail as she cuddled into his chest, churring in her sleep, knowing instinctually she was protected and loved.

Bonnie hadn’t been able to sleep, tossing and turning since her father had scared her to death the afternoon before. Her mate, Stu, could just sit in the truck and hold her paw. 

“Stu, Dad has never cries, I’ve never seen him that upset” Bonnie was saying to no one in particular, “And, he wants NICK…he asked for him by name?! I didn’t know he even knew his name.”

Stu knew not to answer, his doe was just releasing her worries.  ‘I’ve seen my mate through deaths of kits, fires, floods…even her daughter marrying a fox and getting hurt as a ZPD officer…hurt way too often,’ he thought.  ‘This is something different, and Bun isn’t really involved, she doesn’t know what to do, she can’t fix it’. 

“Nick and Judy will be here any minute, it’ll get better Hun,” ‘Well, I tried’, he thought.  Stu was a smart buck, he knew when to shut up and when to talk.  This was truly a “Shut the Buck Up” moment and darned if he wasn’t going to use it.  This was his Doe’s father’s problem and he was going to get Nick and Jude to Pop Pop and support his mate of 33 years. 

“You’ve done what Pop Pop asked for, you did what you could…just let Nick do his foxy magic, you know how good he is at reading mammals,” Stu tried to convince Bun.  But thinking, ‘I hope he can read that disagreeable old buck’.

“We’ve got blueberries for Nick, right? It’s all he asked for.” Stu joked.

“Yes, bowls of them and I bought some really good coffee too!  I can see a sleepy fox in Pop Pop’s future, if I know my fox-kit at all.  I need something to _pop the pennies off a badger’s eyes_ and this coffee was promised to do that.” 

Sighing, Bonnie pictured how Judy’s not been sleeping since I called them yesterday afternoon, and keeping Judy’s mate awake worrying about the doe he loved.  Bonnie knew her daughter and Nick very well.

Nick awakened first and looked at his partner, ‘She is so cute, yes CUTE (I can think it even if I shouldn’t say it out loud)…CUTE! CUTE! CUTE! Phew, I needed that.  She is cute, snoring a little bit and drooling while hugging my tail’.  ‘She really needed that nap, me too.’

“Wow, your mom and dad are waiting for us,” Nick said to a slowly-waking doe, “No kerfluffle either, just the two of them…and on a Monday!”

That got Judy’s eyes open, “Oh Cheese and Crackers Nick, the last time both my parents met the train was when I was assigned to 1st Precinct after I graduated the Academy.”

Hugs exchanged, Bonnie and Stu looked like they really wanted to talk.  “We’re having lunch before we go home, we need some private time to talk.” Both said in unison.

“OK, Fox and Bunny freaked out here, we answer each others sentences and speak in unison,” Nick and Judy said, in unison. “Not used to hearing you guys do it.”

Bonnie, knowing her fox’s mind and stomach ignored their comments with a simple, “Yes dear, it’s freaky for you both, I packed a picnic lunch and stopped for a blueberry pie from Gideon’s.”

“Just one?” Nick whined, followed by a punch from his mate.

“Ow!  I just wanted to make sure you got some too!  Trying to be a sensitive and truly kind mammal thinking of others Fluff…fine, I won’t worry then.”  Nick quipped, finally awake and able to give a good smirkable response.

Once they’d arrived at the overlook of the Hopps Farm, now fully fed and sitting quietly, Nick asked the question he and Judy needed answered. “What is going on?”

“I have not a clue, nothing dear, I’ve got nothing,” Bonnie replied.

Stu was even less helpful, “Never seen Pop Pop act like this, he’s never said anything positive about foxes.”

“No, wait” Bun said, “Pop Pop said he felt sad that Nick’s parents gave him Piberius for a middle name just before he got really upset.”

“Wait, there’s nothing wrong with Piberius” defended Nick.

“Oh yeah, named after a character on Star Track”, Judy added.

“Et Tu Hopps!…you cut me Laverne, you really do” Nick added, wiping away an imaginary tear.

“Ahem…can we get back to why we’re here,” Stu added.  “For some reason, Pop Pop wants to talk with Nick.  We don’t know what triggered it, but Nick is the mammal he asked to talk to”

“And here I, well, We are” Nick rubbed his eyes and held his mate…”Let’s go see what this Devil’s design can do to help your father.”

It felt funny to reach the Hopps’ burrow and not hear the noise of yelling bunnies, dishes clinking and a general disaster in progress.

“It’s quiet,” Nick smirked.

“Yeah, too quiet,” Judy retorted…”We sound like a cheesy horror movie.”

“It’s fun though…wish we had some dramatic music..something ominous with a bit of mystery added” Nick added.

“No, don’t hum something..really, don’t make me hurt you,” Judy threatened.

“Again, I am a victim in this rabbit’s world…Alas Poor Uric, I knew him well” Nick droned in his Shakesbearian accent.

“Nick, shut up…just shut up, I’m sleepy, cranky..”

“Couldn’t tell the difference fluff”

Whack!

“Ow, Carrots, that hurt your delicate flower of foxdom here only to help his mother-in-law.”

Bonnie glared at her kits, smiling inside, “Really, are you two done?”

“Yeah, pretty much Mom…you done Slick?”

“Yep, for now…how ‘bout you Fluff?....fully snarked up for right now?” Nick added being more obnoxious.

“Ready to face Pop Pop...let’s go into the dragon’s den,” the partners said as they knocked on Otto Hopps’ door.

“Pop Pop…can we come in?” Judy asked.

“Is Nicholas, your mate with you?” Pop Pop asked?

“Yes Sir, I’m here, may we come in? Nick responded.

“Yeah, but Nicholas, you are the fox I want to talk to, Trudy can come in but she’ll have to leave.  This is between the two of us.” He answered, “we aren’t going to have a rabbit discussion.”

“Nicholas, thank you for coming, I know I’ve not been good to you, downright evil I have to admit,” rubbing his eyes, he looked very sad, “I’ve got to talk with you son, I have to make it right and need your help, you’re the only one who can do this for me.”

Poor Judy looked ready to cry, “Pop Pop, you don’t want my help?”

Looking at his grand-kit, he gave a slow shake of his head. “I’m sorry little one, this is between Nicholas and me, my history and everything I am…it’s a fox thing.”

Rubbing his ear in his paws, he said the hardest thing Judy ever heard from him and the most difficult for her to promise.   Looking directly into her eyes, he said, “Judy, you have to promise me, I mean a true vow you’ll keep your word, ZPD and Rabbit’s honor.”

She gulped, “Yes sir, I promise…what?”

“Judy, you can’t ask Nicholas what we’re talking about.  You have to make sure your parents don’t either.  This is between Nicholas and me, it’s not a rabbit thing, it has nothing to do with you, your mom, your dad or your family…can you promise this?”

Judy’s paws covered her muzzle, her eyes starting to tear and then taking her mate’s paw.  “I promise Pop Pop, I swear to you and Nick I won’t ask” Looking at Nick, she saw his eyes tearing too. 

No smirk or joking, “I know I can trust my rabbit, like she can trust her fox.  I promise what I hear I will not tell to my mate until I am allowed to do so, and she will not ask me.”

“Is that sufficient Mr. Hopps?  It’s going to certainly put a strain on our marriage, we try not to have secrets any more, it took her a long time to get me to tell her about my past…it’s still difficult”.

“Nicholas, you’ll eventually be able to tell her, once we’ve spoken, but not till I’m done with my whole story”…he wiped his old rabbit eyes…”will that work for you two?”

“Yes sir, it will,” they both replied.

“Good…now Judy, go visit with your momma and your siblings, Nicholas and I have a lot to talk about….promise, I won’t eat him or find something sharp to stick into his red hide…you know the Devil made em’ red?” and then he laughed. 

“That never get’s old, it sounds so stupid when I laugh about it…Now Judy, get out, we gotta’ talk, your mate and me.”

Judy gives Nick a tight hug and gets a kiss between her ears, and she shuts the door. 

Nick looks at Mr. Hopps, gives him a level III smirk and says, “Well, what should we call each other?  I’m Nick, not Nicholas…and we won’t even go into Piberius, yep’, Bonnie told be about your Piberius comment…you shocked the pellets out of her with that one, saying something sympathetic about a fox”

“Call me Otto”, the buck leaned forward and gave a paw to Nick for a shake, just call me Otto…never call me sir, I worked for a living, weren’t no officer”

“Works for me” Nick smiled, “I’m always giving officers a hard time anyway, brings out the smirk in me something fierce”.  “I happen to know your daughter bought some really good coffee that a spoon’l stand up in and, as she put it, _will pop the pennies off a badgers eyes_.  I’d like to get a pot if you don’t mind, never met a trooper yet that would turn down a cup of coffee.”

“Son, I’ve never turned down a cup of coffee in my life” he laughed, “see if she has any blueberries too! Even if the Hopps never had a claim to any fame, this family can grow blueberries!”

“Otto, we’re gonna’ get along just fine…I’ll be back in a second with coffee and blueberries…you don’t put any nastiness in your coffee I’m guessing?”

“Oh hell no, why ruin a spoon with that stuff” Otto laughed…”I think we will get along…you know Nick, I’ve really missed being around foxes”

Nick just gave a confused smile at this statement, he was surprised, truly surprised.  'It’s been a long time I so misread a mammal.'

Otto sat and was as happy as he’d been for 50 years…’I found a warrior fox in my warrior grandkit Judy’s mate…now I can share my story, our story, with someone who’d understand, about both his families.

“Now where’s that coffee and blueberries?” I’ve waited 50 years, I’ve got a story to tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. A RABBIT BECOMES A HARE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Otto...at the beginning

A Rabbit Becomes a Hare

Nick left Otto and headed for the kitchen, on a mission to bring back Bonnie’s killer coffee and blueberries. Judy, Bonnie and Stu just looked at Nick.

“Hi all, Otto and me are taking you up on your badger killer coffee and blueberries”…laughing to himself, “turns out we both have the same taste in Hopps’ family fruit”…’Nothing…sigh, this is going to be a looong ordeal.’

‘Nothing’, Nick thought, ‘blank unhappy eyes, wonderful, my mate is unhappy, my bunny mom and dad are unhappy, I’m unhappy…Otto is happy…something’s wrong here.’

“I know none of you are happy I promised not to say anything until Otto’s story is over and he tells me I can…and Judy vowed not to ask me any questions.”

Looking at all three Hopps, all Nick could think to say is, “You asked me to come, Otto asked you to ask me, wasn’t this foxes idea…OK? So no bunny pouty faces or making my mate unhappy or we’ll leave and you can face Pop Pop!”

“Let me have a cart, I’ve got an old rabbit to listen to and coffee and berries to bring along.”

Back after 15 minutes of brewing coffee and getting a bunny hug and nuzzle, Nick pours both of them a cup of coffee. “Woowee! That is coffee…that would work on a badger Otto!”

“Nick, phewie, I think my spoon will stand up in that brew, dang son, don’t know if my old rabbit heart will ever stop beating with that in me.”

Sitting back, Otto had dug out several journals and was slowly opening his oldest book…”Nick, before I start, I know you’re wondering why I wanted to talk with you,” rubbing his ears and looking up at the ceiling, “You’re a warrior”

Nick started to argue, Otto held up a paw…”Nick, you and Judy are both warriors. You fight against evil. You both fight against the tyrant for the mammals who depend on you. You both have been hurt, almost killed, and keep fighting.” Otto looked at Nick and nodded his head. “Son, you and my grandkit Judy are warriors.”

“I never considered myself a warrior” Nick explained, “I’m not being modest, I’m a fox who fights and am willing to run away.” “Judy, that bunny is a warrior, she’s the weakest one on the ZPD and that doe IS a warrior…much of what I do is protecting her and preventing Judy from killing herself.”

Nick laughed, “I’m a fox, I’ll try and talk my way out of things before I ever think of laying a paw on anyone…for my mate, my life is her’s, to keep her alive and happy, to keep all the mammals who need her…she’s my warrior, I’m her protector.”

Otto just sat there, ‘I don’t believe Nick even knows what he truly is’. “Well Nick, we may both learn some things in our discussions, you’re not here just to listen to an old Buck BS about his Army days…it’s about you too.”

“Oh hell, let me start at the beginning…sure sounds like a cheap movie Son…anyway, sorry if I have to look at my books, my memory isn’t always the best, but I sure seem to remember 75 years ago better than yesterday…I’m old, I’m real old but I still remember what’s important…give me some more coffee Son.”

“Sorry, do you mind if I call you Son, I miss my foxes”

“Anyway, it was March of 1942 and I was a 21 year old Buck in Bunnyburrow and was talking to my father…”

“Dad, I want to join up, I need to fight and not just sit back on a farm, growing food ‘for the war effort’. That’s not the effort I wanna’ do. I’m healthy, I’m a grown buck and nobody is going to tell this Buck I’m too weak to fight against evil.”

“Dad just looked at me like I was an idiot without a brain in my head”…laughing to no one, “he may have been right.”

“Nick, I couldn’t just sit there protected, leaning on the claim that rabbits were too weak and useless for anything other than popping out bunnies and being farmers.”

Looking in his book, Otto found the clipping about enlisting…”Look at this Nick, it had in capital letters…”No Rabbits Need Apply”. “Now that was a real kick in the teeth. No rabbits!, as if we weren’t even citizens and worth the Army’s time to train us…”Just go away bunny boy, Your Momma’s calling”…”I got in a lot of fights over that one…lost every one too, but I’d be damned if I’d let them taunt me like I was a coward who didn’t care and was afraid to be a Buck with a backbone and balls.”

Nick could see Otto was still mad over 75 years later…”Otto, I know what a hero and warrior Lance Corporal Ronald Hopps was, what a warrior Judith Laverne Hopps is too! They were all wrong as has been proven over and over, especially by your family.”

“Nick, they didn’t care back in 42’…being a bullheaded sort of rabbit, and being a big Buck at that and strong from farm work, I went to Zootopia and enlisted…as a Hare.”

“See Son, they took Hares in the Army…Hares, we’re famous for being tougher, bigger, and less social than rabbits. Hares have attitude and are ready to run when they’re born and get tougher as they get older. Hell, the Hare does make the Bucks chase them for miles to make sure they really are tough enough to consider as mates.” I was now a Hare in this mammal’s Army, a lordly Buck Private…kind’ve appropriate don’tcha’ think?” Otto laughed at his own joke.

Otto sat there for several minutes, drinking his coffee and eating blueberries..his eyes looking somewhere off in the distance looking back 75 years before…‘Yep, a Buck Private, I was going to fight, I was going to show them all what a rabbit could do…I showed em’ all right, I showed everyone’.

Nick watched Otto’s face, ‘He’s got a bit of a pondering going on to himself, as if he’s wondering did it actually happen to me?, was that me who did that? Did it matter?’ Nick sat there quietly, just drinking his coffee and not wanting to break the spell.

“Oh hell boy, why’d you let an old Buck get stuck in the past like that…make a noise or something. Old soldiers get caught in our memories.” “Anyway, where was I, Hmmm, there I was, a Buck Private, yep, that’s right.”

“Nick you know the saying about Army sizes, “Too Big or Too Small,” Well, for Hares, there was only one size, WAY TOO BIG!” “So help me, I think those supply sergeants figured a Hare was just a bit smaller than a coyote, course, they were a mean lot of animals in supply…so help me, I never saw such an overfed bunch of malingerers as the mammals in supply.”

“Lucky for me, I was used to getting up early, hated it then, hate it now…I can see you nodding Son, you hate morning too!”

“Gods honest truth, Judy loves to beat the alarm up in the morning,” Nick laughed, “I’d prefer a clock that said, Five more minutes, you’ve got five more minutes, go back to sleep! I’d make a pile of money if I sold that clock.” Nick thought for a second, “Heck, I’d save money just not replacing clocks I threw across the room.”

Otto remembered, “You know, I never did tell my family I enlisted, just dropped off the face of the earth for a long time…they didn’t support me, said I was stupid for considering enlisting, they didn’t understand you have to fight for things, some things with everything you have to give…wasn’t a common Rabbit belief back then…come to think of it, still not common now for Rabbits. It’s what made Ronald Hopps and Judith Hopps so rare and special…they’re warriors, they’re noble mammals…not Rabbits, they’re warriors and noble no matter who or what they are.”

Looking at Nick, Otto just nods his head…”You are too Son, you just don’t see it in yourself, I do, Judith does too!...now let an old Buck be upset with the world.”

“Excuse me a second Son, older the Buck, smaller the bladder”

“Otto, I’m going to check on Judy, I’ll meet you back in a few minutes…you want anything from the kitchen?”

Otto said, “Nope, just gotta’ take care of this used coffee.”

Once Nick was near the kitchen, life was going full tilt. Judy was helping Bonnie fix dinner, grilling some tofu burgers, which were actually pretty good. Judy’s younger brother Bailey was mates with a lovely Vixen named Riina were visiting when they heard Judy and Nick were at the burrows. Riina’s parents owned the apple orchard next door and the Hopps had discovered the wonders of cabbage rolls with an unpronounceable Finish name with lots of consonants and way too many ‘A’s in a row. Nick had time to wave, give a hug, a quick snuggle with his mate and took two tofu burgers down to share with Otto.

“Otto, try this burger, it’s pretty good, no meat either to upset a Buck’s stomach.” Nick said plowing through his burger.

“Nick, I eat meat, ate it for a long time…doesn’t bother this Buck’s belly at all” he laughed at Nick’s expression, “you think we got picky in combat and some of the bad places I’ve been?”

Nick looked at Otto…at the same time, they both said, “Hot Sauce!” and laughed. Covers up Mom’s bad cooking and mystery meat/stew.

“Bonnie must think I bathe in it” Otto smirked, “I dearly love it.”

Nick looked at Otto and his smirk, ‘He’s been around foxes, not just a little bit either…that’s a professional grade smirk…hell, I’d be proud to call that my own.’

Nick told Otto, “Please let me know when you get tired, I’m just listening, you’re doing all the heavy lifting.”

Otto nodded, “Nick, how about we quit for tonight, I’ll meet your for breakfast in the kitchen…nice thing about being old, you get a good table by yourself, I’d like some company if you would…please ask Judy to come too, she is my favorite grand-kit…she’s my warrior”…he thought for a second, “Yes, you can tell her that, she might feel a bit happier that I truly love your mate, but this is just our story, Hare to Fox.”

“Goodnight Son”.

Nick was amazed at the Otto he never knew, that none of the Hopps ever knew.   Thinking of Bogo’s warning, “don’t judge, listen, he deserves it”…Otto did deserve it and he was going to know this Buck so he could share this warrior with his “families?”

‘I never got to really know my dad, I couldn’t pass on his history. I can do that for Otto.’


	6. Tuesday Morning by the Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Otto, stories of getting ready for war and meeting the Reynard family.

** Tuesday Morning **

Otto beat even Judy to his breakfast table. “Trudy! good morning grandkit.”

Standing next to him, Judy said, “Pop Pop, it’s Judy, she corrected him…”It’s Judy!”

“You know I do that on purpose, I hope”...Otto laughed, “fun to watch the youngun’s giving me the ‘crazy old buck’ look when they don’t think I can see em.’”

“Yes my dear, I know it’s Judy, did you talk with Nick last night?...actually, did Nick talk with you? I told him some things he could tell you.”

Judy gave her grandfather a tight hug and sniffled just a bit, pulling back with teary eyes on his.

“Guess he did then,” with his own sniffling after Judy’s hug. “You really are my warrior doe, I’m so proud of you.”

“Well, that’s enough of all this, I’ve got a reputation as a grumpy curmudgeon of a buck to uphold.” Otto laughed, “Your boy is still in bed? Nice to see you wore out your fox!”

“Pop Pop!” She squeeked! Judy’s ears were now bright red, “When did you learn to smirk like that? You were only around nick for an afternoon!”

“What’d I miss?” Nick asked, “must have been good just looking at the color of your ears Fluff?”

Judy just stared and quipped, “Oh, not too much Slick, something about wearing out my fox last night.”

“Ptttbyt!!, That was a terrible waste of coffee Carrots! Think I swallowed my spoon” “Nice smirk Otto!”

Smiling, Otto noted, “Not one of my best, a low II on a good day, haven’t been working on them much last 50 years. Smirking is an unappreciated skill, even an artform for some mammals.”

Nick was nodding now, “Saw a Level V once, thought I’d go blind, couldn’t talk for a hour afterwards.”

“In 1943 had a sergeant do a Level V, scared the mules something fierce” Otto recalled.

“Ok, Ok,” Judy said rolling her eyes, “It’s getting deep in here and you two are really bringing out the best? Worst? Um, Fox in both of you…be kind to your bunny of tender years.”

Judy had to admit, ‘I’ve never seen Nick and Pop Pop having so much fun just chatting like two old friends…what am I missing?’ ‘Or maybe, what has Pop Pop been missing, he really is a new Buck, he’s got a sparkle to him I’ve never seen, he’s always been…sad I guess, or, just not happy. Nick too! It’s almost like Nick’s talking to his Dad.’

Giving Nick a hug and patting Pop Pop on the arm, “I hope you both have a good time today, bring your coffee with you, don’t want the kits getting into it. I’m off to Gideon’s to pick up some pie.”

Nick looked at Otto, “Why didn’t ever share with Gideon?”

Otto just stared a bit at Nick, “Son, do you really see Gideon as a warrior? Do you see him as noble, fighting for what’s right, protecting others?” “He’s the stereotype of a country bumpkin, a fox with no Reynard blood left in him, if it ever was in his family line.”

“Nick, you’re a Reynard Fox, it’s a difference, I can see it in you…grab your coffee, let’s go for a walk and talk…even better, grab a truck, let’s go to the lake.”

Kit’s in school, older bucks and does working, the lake was empty and quiet. Nick brought a thermos of badger coffee and they found a pair of folding chairs in the truck bed. “First Class! All the way! I’ll take fox luck anytime.” Nick snarked!

March 1942

Otto stared at the lake….”Nick, I always hated being in the water, not a swimmer, I’m a sinker at heart…Basic Training showed me something important…keep this Hare out of water. Take a Hare, add a helmet, pack, ammo belt, pistol and a rifle…just add water…you get a drowned Hare. I think I swallowed half the lake.”

Remembering the obstacle course…Otto laughed, “I could sneak, hide, crawl, burrow, go dead still and keep quiet…if it was dry, I was your Hare. Water, just kill this cotton tail now, wasn’t happening. Luckily I was good enough in other things they worked around me getting wet.” “Common consensus was, good thing I didn’t join the Navy, would’ve probably been a pretty good anchor though.”

“In Basic Training I met a lot of amazing mammals I’d never seen before. The predators were called ‘Chompers’ and the prey were called ‘Cud Chewers’. I always got along better with Chompers. If you could do your job and didn’t whine or make excuses, they were great. Cud Chewers, they were a weird bunch, most really big, but not friendly and almost never laughed”. “Something about herd animals, just seemed to make for dumb and wanted to stay with “like” mammals.

April 1942

“I was paired with a Fox as my ‘training buddy’, I think it was done as a mean joke, Hare and Fox, not a pairing made in heaven or nature.” “Fooled them though, we were the smallest recruits, both from the country and we weren’t expected to survive Basic Training.”

“My partner was a big red fox named Toddy Reynard, “Yes, Son, he was one of the famous Reynard family of foxes going back hundreds of years. It’s how I know what a Reynard Fox should look like, and act.”

“Remember the enlistment ad I showed you, “No Rabbits” garbage…turns out foxes weren’t really welcome either…not officially mind you, but not truly welcomed. I’m guessing they paired us two _gonna’ fails_ together so we’d both be gone at the same time.”

Looking at the Rabbit, the Fox wasn’t sure what he was seeing, “OK Bunny…”

“I’m a Hare!” I said.

“OK Bun Bun…” Toddy smirked.

“I’m a Hare you toilet brush tailed, red hide made by the Devil, fur bearin’ varmint!” I growled at the Fox.

“What are going to do, be a bore swab for artillery Fluff Butt?” the Fox smirked.

“I’m a HARE!” I yelled at the Fox.

“No, you’re a Rabbit, I know the difference, I know Hares, you ain’t a Hare bunny.” The Fox quietly said.

“No, I’m a Hare,” I softly told the Fox, “I’m a Hare, I can’t serve if I’m a Rabbit, only Hares can serve and I’ll be damned if I can’t fight and do whatever I can do for us to beat these damn Devils.” I just got very quiet as the Fox stared at me. He was confused, he’d not seen a warrior rabbit before.

“I was wrong, you’re a Hare, I’m proud to meet you Otto, I’m Toddy, we are going to beat these REMFs, and go kick ass…and you’ve got the feet for it Buck!....Partners Otto?”

“Partners Toddy!”

At Hopps Lake Present

“Nick, it turns out that Toddy and I made a famous pair of partners…kind’ve like my grandkit Judy and a certain Red Fox have too! Sometimes mammals just click and are greater than the sum of their parts…that was us.”

“Toddy was a warrior, makes all the difference” Otto sighed, “but it can sure be hard on both team members at times. We didn’t have a lot of spare anything between the two of us…both needed to work to keep the partnership humming like an 8 cylinder.”

Otto laughed to himself, commenting quietly, “Good thing we were both young, immortal and kinda’ stupid…sure helps in the Army at times.”

May 1942

The early parts of the war were a truly experimental times, the Army was trying everything it could to stop what was, up till them, a route with a lot of lost mammals and materials. Turns out the Army, in its’ infinite wisdom, noticed that with Toddy as a spotter, and me as a shooter made a great sniper team.

“Otto, we’re good, me at seeing or smelling some mammal to shoot, you at hearing some mammal to shoot, and then you actually putting a hole in that mammal.” Toddy snickered.

Scratching my head and pulling an ear down, a nervous habit I’d developed when I took off my helmet, I appeared to wisely be pondering Toddy’s comment, “Think it’s too late to work in supplies?”

Just before we were going to graduate from Basic Training, Toddy and I got bad news

“Otto, have you seen this crap? They want the two of us to train, not fight!” Toddy complained. “The Fox was mad, he didn’t’ sign up to train and sit home, they were partners, they could fight!”

I patted Toddy on the arm…”Fox, we may have a chance yet, if you trust me.”

Toddy stared at his friend and partner, “You got it, we’re a team, where you go, I go…BUT, they’re not splitting us up…that won’t be happening, that’s my one condition.”

June 1942

We wound up at Camp X, with the Office of Strategic Services, (OSS), unofficially the “School of Mayhem and Murder” officially named “Assassination and Elimination” by the SOE instructors….and the pair, Fox and Hare were together.

“Otto, what the hell were we thinking?” Toddy asked for the 10th time that day.

“What? Thinking? I thought you were the thinker, not me Fox?” I smirked back.

Toddy laughed, “Damn, Hare, you’re getting a downright Foxy quality smirk going there, Level II at least, still not so good with the eyes. Looks like you’re constipated or at least have bad gas…gotta’ work on the eyes more.”

“Ahem, gentlemammals”, growled the Badger, “If we could get back to our exercise..now, where would you put the knife blade in the zebra (pronounced zebb-bra) if he was facing away from you?”

I smirked, “Do I like him or is he an officer?”

Toddy smirked back, “Hmmmm, well, the zebbbra does have more sensitive parts a bit lower we can get to nicely…bollocks are handy targets or the carrot and cabbages…perfect Hare targets Leftenant.”

The badger gave a Level V smirk, stunning both Toddy and Otto…

“Damn, he’s bloody well good smirker mate!” Toddy was impressed.

“Bluddy Hell! I feel like a kit again.” Was all I could mumble.

“Now then mammals….the zebbbra” the badger quietly laughed to himself…”I like these mammals, too bad they don’t have a chance.”

July 1942

“We graduated, we’ve got a….patch…a patch of something sewn on our beret” Toddy smiled.

I wasn’t happy, “Beret, great…try and wear one of those flat French things with my ears…taint’ going to happen…think I’ll carry it under my epaulets and wear a regular cap.”

“I’m going home for a 2 week leave before we ship out, c’mon partner, come along. Toddy invited. “You’ll love my kits.”

“You’ve got kits?! Why are you here…now I feel guilty having you here at the pointy end of the stick.” ‘Oh jeeze, I really screwed this up, I didn’t know’.

I sat there for a minute thinking if I really wanted to meet his family…stupid Rabbit…“Toddy, I’d love to meet your family…long as I’m the guest, not the entre’”

I got a good smack from Toddy, “Friends don’t’ eat friends…well, unless they’re really hungry, or you’ve got good gravy and bread…Yummmm, good thing you’re a Hare, they’re bad to eat…too chewy. Now, if you were a bunny…with carrots and onions, that’s good eating.” Feeling Otto’s arm, “I dunno, with meat rationing, you might be edible?”

Smack! “Damn Hare!” What I lacked in upper arm strength I had in foot power.

“New Reynard here we come!” Both partners announced howling as they left Camp X for the last time.

Twenty four hours later Toddy and I pulled into New Reynard and Toddy’s house, we were dusty and sore. Two young fox kits came running out, yelling “Daddy!”

Toddy picked them up, swinging his little vixens round and round, small red tails trailing behind them.

Toddy looked at Me, giving a bow and saying, “Victoria and Molly, this is my very good friend and partner, Otto Hopps. He is a very noble Hare and very brave…he is my good friend and protects your daddy.”

‘I was in shock…I looked at these two beautiful little vixens, both with bright green eyes, gave them a bow and called them, “My ladies, I am pleased to meet such beautiful Vixens; Lady Victoria, and I kissed her paw, Lady Molly, and I kissed her paw.” ‘Evidently, I did the right thing…both little kits just looked at their paws, giggled and ran to their mother to show her their kissed paws.’

Toddy gave me a wink, “Sure you’re not a Reynard Fox? You’ve certainly won the hearts of my little vixens” he laughed.

Toddy gave his mate a hug, wrapping her in his tail. He turned to me and bowed. “Abigail, this is my very good friend and partner, Otto Hopps, he is brave, a noble animal and a warrior Hare…I consider him family and a Reynard in his heart.”

I looked at his lovely vixen, she was smiling at me and gave me her paw to kiss…she had amazing green eyes like her daughters, and looked so sad.

“I am proud to meet a fellow Reynard from my mate, you are always welcome and a part of my family.”

“I’ll admit it, I teared up like a doe,” I’d never had a prouder moment or two mammals who thought so highly of me and made me a member of their family.”

“Two small red vixens hugged me”

“Does this make him our Uncle Otto?” they both asked.

“Sure does! Go show your Uncle the house my vixens” he laughed as I looked behind me as his two little girls each had one of my paws and were leading me into an amazing house.

What a happy family the Reynards are…uncles and aunts stopped by, old family friends and even some Hares of their acquaintance.

“Which family are you from?” one of the Hares asked me, giving a rather odd look at this mystery longear.

“I’m from the Hopps family, were a bit greyer than the normal Hares”. “I don’t know if he believed me or not, I was accepted and part of the Reynard Family, that was good enough for me.” I thought.

Hopps Lake, Present Day

To say Nick was amazed was an understatement. “You know the Reynards? You were, uh, are part of that family? You knew Toddy and Abigail Reynard, Molly and Victoria…Really, when they were little vixens? They’re the closest things there are to Fox royalty. What about Samantha, the youngest vixen?”

“She wasn’t born yet, but she was a lovely thing, very sweet to her Uncle Otto.”

Otto closed his eyes, “Nick, they’re my other family, my foxes.”

Nick just sat there staring at this old Buck, ‘Bogo was right, just listen and let him talk, he deserves it…he actually knew the Reynards! He knew Toddy and Abigail…the legends.”

July 1942

“The Reynard family are archers, those foxes can shoot a bow. Toddy used a very very old longbow made of yew wood. I borrowed a bow, Victoria’s I think, I couldn’t pull Toddy’s bow. Vicki thought it hilarious watching me try to shoot her bow. There’s no sights on a bow, it’s a real art to shoot one. Over a weeks time and a lot of laughing and being silly, I learned to be a terrible archer..but I did learn.”

Toddy said, “Don’t worry Otto, we’ll work on your shooting when we got back to camp…we’re bringing these bows along, better than a silenced rifle, deadly too!” He smirked, “Remember your classes on psychological warfare…an arrow sticking out of a mammal’s throat you were just talking to as he gurgles his last…very sweet!”

“My bow is awfully light” I asked, “can I still use it?”

“Absolutely…we just need to get lighter and very sharp arrows…like butter through a…hmmm, well like butter through something I guess. Oh hell, it’ll scare the pellets out of them.”

I just smiled, “you mean like a carnivorous Hare and a Red Fox with an ancient weapon…they won’t know what hit them!”

It was time to head back to camp. I really had become an uncle to these two lovely vixens…Molly and Vicki were crying, I was crying, Toddy was watching the three of us smiling away while he held Abigail. I had the first real family I had ever had, and they were foxes.

Abigail did something I didn’t expect. She came to me, knelt down and gave me a tight hug…then, she marked me, as if I were a kit she was worried about losing.

Toddy just watched his mate, still smiling. “You’re one of her warriors, one of her fighting kits, her Tod going to war with her mate!” “It’s her honor to claim you as her’s, to show she values you and your sacrifice, you’re my brother.”

“Hard to be a warrior when I keep crying,” I laughed. The girls gave me another hug adding their own little marks. ‘I don’t know if a kit can mark anyone, but they did claim me as their Daddy’s brother and their warrior.’

We left New Reynard and several days later were on a ship heading to war….bows, arrows and all. The Reynard brothers were off to fight.

Hopps Lake, Present Time

Otto was sitting quietly, very quietly. Whatever was going through his head was his alone.

Nick, didn’t know what to say, ‘I can’t even work up a smirk’ he laughed to himself. ‘I have got to write this down, don’t know if Otto will let me have his logs/diaries’. ‘I don’t even want to talk to disturb this old Buck, I have nothing to compare with what he’s seen and the, Oh Cheese and Crackers, jeeze, I sound like Judy. He’s a Reynard, this old Buck is actually a combat warrior Reynard, marked by Abigail, Vicki and Molly…and called a brother by Toddy.”

“Otto, would you like to go back to the warren? It’s getting late and time for dinner”, Nick said quietly.

“Sure son, that’ll be fine, they probably thought we stole the truck you being a Red Devil made Fox and all.” He laughed, “jeeze that sounds so stupid, first time I said that to Toddy he broke up laughing..I’ll admit, my smirks back then really were poor, it’s the eyes, just not good with the slightly closed eyes, guess it’s a Hare thing.”

By the time they arrived back at the Hopps burrow, everybody was wondering where they were. Judy admitted, “I tracked you down and could see you two off by the lake,” she sighed, “and no, I didn’t listen in, I just wanted to make sure you were OK.”

“Trudy, that’s OK” Pop Pop snickered at his Trudy/Judy joke. “Feel better you know it’s a joke cutie?”

“Wait, what…Cutie, he’s calling you cutie!?” Nick squeeked.

“Nick, he’s a rabbit, he can do that…remember?” Judy said, “Yes, in fact I do feel a lot better. I do love you, cranky and all my old Grandbuck” “I’m so happy you and Nick are talking and getting along.”

“He’s a warrior like you Judy, Fox or not, he’s a warrior first, I’ll always talk to a warrior”. “Now what’s for dinner, we have any chicken?”

Judy asked, “Pop Pop, you ever tried Buffalo Chicken Pizza with Red Beer?....it’s really good!”

Otto looked at his grandkit, 'Damn son, she is a warrior', “Nick, go get the truck, we three warriors are going out for dinner…think Bailey and Riina are available to add two more warriors to the crowd?”


	7. Wednesday Morning - Otto and Toddy Scare the Troops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tuesday morning, Toddy and Otto first day in the field and the pair remains a team.

**Wednesday Morning…Breakfast**

Judy was truly disgusted, she was the early Rabbit, and her Grandbuck was already up, dressed and sitting at his reserved table drinking his “Badger coffee.”

“Well, at least I beat Nick up” she smirked.

“Nope”, said Otto, “your fox 3-S’d and beat you here, he’s off getting his bowl of blueberries and coffee.”

“Morning Fluff!”…Nick smiled, put his breakfast and coffee on the table, and hugged his bunny, “Nice smirk Otto, pretty good Level II on only one cup of coffee! What’d I miss?”

“Nothing Son, just talking with Trudy.” Otto gave Judy a wink and small smirk and laughed,“ just practicing grandkit.”

“I’m dealing with a pair of foxes” as she hit Nick, “Really, don’t know who’s worse..Pop Pop’s had more practice or Nick, who knows where all my buttons are located.”

“Fluff, gentlemammals don’t talk about their Doe’s buttons, it’s not polite,” giving her his own wink and smirk.

Judy started turning red and blathering, “No, um, wasn’t talking about those but…um, NICK!”

“Otto, I can’t remember my mate’s ears ever being quite that red before…have you?” Nick asked, eyes wide without even a probationary Level smirk.

“Why Son, that is a pretty amazing shade of red, appears to be all over too!” he added, nodding to Judy as she died of embarrassment and putting on a concerned look at her bright red color…”you feeling allright grandkit?”

Tapping her foot and now totally…well, Judy was totally something…”I’m going to town, you have a nice talk today. Nick, you’re dead and we’ll talk about this Doe’s buttons later.”

“Well, that was fun, I’m soooooo dead” Nick smirked, “It was worth it.”

“Yes, yes you are,” Otto laughed, “She loves you, you’re bonded, teasing is fun…you use words, Judy boxes, it’s a doe thing.”

“I’m glad Bailey and Riina could come along” the old Buck said, “I’ve never really had an opportunity to get to know that pretty little thing. They’re a cute couple. That Buck looks like he’s become a real warrior, Riina is too. After hearing about how she fought that big Red Fox and how her mate was willing to sacrifice himself to save her, Otto had renewed faith his family still had warriors.”

“Yep, but couldn’t get Bailey to try the Buffalo Chicken pizza even with the two of you eating it,” Nick really smiled at remembering Bailey looking a little green at his Pop Pop and sister happily joining with his Fox brother-in-law and fox mate in the meat pizza.

“We’ll get him eating it, he’s got to get over his dietary problems” Otto promised “if nothing else, it’s worth it for the shock value.”

“Nick, you ready to head out, I’d really like to go back to the lake,” Otto shifted in his chair, “would you bring along better chairs today, this old Buck is turning delicate. A table too, hate bugs in my coffee.”

Hopps Lake, Present Day

“Nick, where were we…you have to listen, I don’t have to remember what wisdom and experiences I was talking about” laughed Otto…”your ears tired yet?”

“Otto, you keep talking, I’ll keep listening”, Nick smiled, “You’re talking about your history, but mine too, all foxes. We’ve always loved hearing about the Reynard family and their lives, they gave hope a long time ago, they’re the best of us…and to some mammals, they see Reynard’s history as the worst of us.”

Otto looked out to the lake, drinking his coffee and closing his eyes…”Nick, they’re my family too! For better or worse, I’m a Reynard Hare. Amazing since I’m neither a Fox or a Hare…but I am a Reynard!” ‘With all the pain and loss there came with it…and it was all worth it….it’s why you’re here with me Son, listening to this old Buck talk and explain.’

“OK Nick, where did we leave off? We were on the boat, ship…whatever the Navy squids call it’, Otto gave a small laugh,“…the Reynard brothers were off to war.”

_ August 1942 _

“I got to practice with my bow on the ship, well, Vicki’s bow but she’s “lending” it to me for the duration, Toddy’s pretty impressed with how truly mediocre and archer I am. Toddy said I fit the artillery mantra, "One went high, one went low, where the hell did the other one go." 

Both of us being sergeants, neither one of us outranks the other. He’s older than I am, but I remind him Otto comes before Toddy alphabetically.”

“Wait” the Fox argues, “I’m older than you are…Hah!”

“Well, you certainly weigh more, but my ears are longer and I hear better than a Fox! Ha! Yourself!” I argued.

“Nope, My name has more letters and I’m still taller, even with your ears” Toddy came back, with a smirk.

Our brilliant repartes’ continued while we’re shooting arrows, eating meals or walking around the ship. The general consensus is, I’m either a really ugly Fox, or Toddy’s a truly ugly Hare…but whatever we are, we are brothers whose mother should have drowned us in infancy.

Our fellow troops keep wondering just who we are, and why are such small mammals armed with old weapons like bows and arrows, and just who are we anyway? We don’t tell them of course, we just both put on a “Mk I Smirk” (military nomenclature name for a Milspec low-grade Smirk).

“I was becoming a lot Foxier being an official Reynard brother and uncle to a wonderful pair of vixens, I was Vicki’s and Molly’s champion.’ I laughed, “it was wonderful being ‘owned” by these two little ones.”

“We’re the only OSS on the boat”, Toddy noted, “Otto, wonder who/what/where we’re going to be assigned?”

“Well, they told me, since I’m senior, we’d get a briefing once we arrived, where ever that will be,” I said, looking at my Fox partner, “I’m not really happy about that, but, Our is but to do or…”

“Stop right there,” Toddy snapped, “I’m going home to my family, you are too! We’ve got 2 vixens and my mate waiting for her warriors to return” He said seriously, “We are both returning home Otto!”

“I didn’t’ tell Toddy when Abigail marked me, she softly said, “Please, bring him home…please Otto, just bring him home with you.”

“I vowed to her I would die fighting to bring Toddy home.”

_ Hopps Lake, Present Time. _

Nick looked over at Otto. The Warrior Buck’s eyes were closed, tears running down his short muzzle, his head held in his paws. Nick walked away to give him privacy. ‘This isn’t mine to share or listen to, this is his.’ “Damn I hate this” Nick said softly to himself, “it’s not fair, there’s just too much suffering, too many innocents hurt.” The Fox walked for a bit….”It’s why Judy and I fight everything that seems so much larger than ourselves, so we can look in each other’s eyes at the end of the day, and know, we tried.”

Nick sighed and closed his eyes and leaned his head against a tree. A soft paw touched his back….”Getting kinda’ personal there Otto” Nick smirked.

SLAP! “You knew it was me you dumb Fox!” Judy said.

“Yes my doe, Foxy nose, I could smell you there” he smiled at her, “this has been a rough day…but thanks for coming…now give me a hug, I need to get back…I know I don’t need to remind you, No Listening!”

“Actually, I brought you both lunch, I found some Army rations in the Bunnyburrow Surplus Store, they’re older than I am…also brought some cold beer and hot sauce. Mom said Pop Pop loves his hot sauce.” Judy patted Nick’s muzzle, “Thanks for this Nick, I know it’s hard.”

“Actually Fluff, It’s like I’m getting to talk to my Dad about things I was never old enough to hear or understand. Otto’s giving me a gift no one else could give me. Remember that…you can tell Bonnie, I’m sure she’s feels a bit guilty, she’d like to know…you can tell my mom too..she might understand.”

Nick wandered back down to Otto, he was asleep and snoring quietly.

‘I’m letting him sleep, may be a good idea for this Fox too’ and Nick settled in to get comfortable.

Otto looked over and saw a Red Fox with C-Rats on his lap, “Toddy! You get some good ones, not the lima beans I hope!” He grabbed Nick’s arm, “Toddy!”

Nick looked into his eyes, surprised. “Otto, you OK?”

Otto, shook his head, “Nick, I saw the C-Rats and a Red Fox sitting there…I thought you were Toddy!” “Oh jeeze Nick, gave me a heart attack, but for a second, my Fox brother was back, he blinked a few times…Phew, so watcha’ got to eat?”

“Your grandkit Judy went into town and found a couple boxes of C-Rats older than she is…she also brought cold beer and hot sauce. She giveth with one paw and then taketh with another….yep, and one is Lima Beans with Ham…were these even legal to serve troops? Sounds really bad.”

“Absolutely terrible” Otto laughed and gave a shudder, “go ahead and open the can, should be a nice layer of white fat floating on green mush with a single huge lima bean submerged in it…that’s good eatin’”

“Nick, I think the main use for these was to get the troops good and mad so when the enemy showed up, they were really pissed and the bad guys were going to lose.”

_August 1942_

“Toddy and I made it and we’re off that boat” Phew! I snorted, enjoying the fresh green smell, “Feel sorry for the Navy mammals, what a miserable way to live.”

We were sent to see our boss who wanted to meet his smallest and newest OSS recruits. Standing at attention, we faced “Wild” Bull Donovan.

“Sir, sergeants Reynard and Hopps reporting,” we both said in unison.

“Wild Bull stared at his new OSS team, his very small troops; bows over our shoulders, a quiver of arrows, long rifle for me, assorted knives and various other “small nasty’s” as our SOE Badger instructor called them on both of us….always given with a full-tooth chomper’s smile.”

“At ease mammals,” he’d taken off his glasses, rubbed his eyes and was staring at us, “is this a joke?”

“No Sir!” we both replied.

“You finished training and are a fully functioning team?”

“Yes Sir!” we both replied.

“A Rabbit?”

“Sir, No Sir, a Hare Sir!” I said.

“A Fox?”

“Sir, Yes Sir, a Fox Sir!” Toddy replied

“Uh huh” Wild Bull replied, “I’ve seen your records, you two did great, made a good team and were tops in infiltration and actually, most everything but water.”

“Sir, the Hare does not do well in water” I said.

“Well, I’m going to split you two up, I need to backfill some of my teams” He started to say.

“Sir, we need to stay as a team” we both said…

“We were stared at..a Mk 4 Level V stare, I’d only heard about these in training, hoped never to actually see one in the flesh…especially not located on a scowling senior large bull officer.”

“And why is that Private?” Wild Bull inquired quietly, interlacing his hooves and giving a small smile while looking back and forth at his new Fox and Hare. I learned, it’s never a good thing when you’re facing a quiet senior officer, they are truly scary.

“Sir”, I said, “We have been together since Basic Training, we were paired, we suspect, with the intention we would fail. Singly, the two of us, we’re not very good soldiers, we each have skills that complement one another. As a team, we are greater than the sum of our parts. Please sir, give us a trial together before you split us up…Sir.”

Then Toddy added his logic, “Sir, as you noticed, we’re probably your smallest OSS troops. If anything ever happened to a larger member of a team, we couldn’t support them. I certainly can’t carry a wounded wolf, I could hardly drag one. My weapons are smaller caliber, due to my reduced carrying capacity and recoil tolerance. Think of us more like a motorcycle than a truck, both have functions, but one does not function well when used as another….Sir.”

The two of us stood at attention. We couldn’t get this far just to be treated as a joke.

“All right mammals, here’s what I will do.” Wild Bull said, rubbing his eyes looking at the ceiling, “You will get a chance to show me what you can do…you’re going off with a team, but they’ll send you off on your own small mission to see if YOU CAN succeed. If so, you shall remain a team, If not, latrine duty…is this acceptable?

“Sir, Yes Sir!” We both yelled.

“And may God have mercy on your immortal souls”.

Three days later, we met our team, “They’re all wolves!” Toddy yipped!

“New meat, you have a problem with wolves?” one asked? “Hey, the Fox brought dinner with him.” Pointing to me.

“Yeah, that’s what your sister said too!” I smirked, a Level III at the grey wolf, “Or was it your mom…I forget.”

‘Well, in for penny, in for a pound’ I thought…”any other coyote smart ass questions sergeant?”

“You’re all right bunny…excuse me, Hare…like there’s a difference on the plate.”

“No problem”, and I howled…”Aroooooo Roooo Roooo!!” It was pretty good howl I’d learned to do in Basic…all 4 wolves howled in response. I looked at the team, shook my head, and started opening up a can of lunch. “You mutts don’t do that in the field, right? You can control doing a howl? Please say you can….Puleeeze”

Toddy just stared at me, and broke up laughing. “Gentlemammals, we’re both glad to meet you, everybody done peeing on the tree to mark it?” he snickered.

“I’m the spotter and support”, pointing to me, “He is the shooter and he can hear further than all of us put together. I don’t’ have your nose power, but as a Fox, I’m still a long-muzzle chomper, so I’m no slouch, but nobody beats a wolf’s nose.”

One wolf pointed our bows…”Toys?” he asked.

“Nope, psyops warfare” I said, “something about seeing an arrow suddenly appear in a mammal’s eye and him on the ground twitching, that you were just talking to…and you only hearing a “thunk” when it hit…pellets are dropping like rain…and yes, we can hit with these. Toddy is scary good with the big bow, I’m just Ok to pretty good with my smaller one…they will kill. With my rifle, I’m good for 800 yards or so, it’s a 6x57 Mauser caliber and yes, that’s a Maxim suppressor on the front. It’s big, but it’s quieter and the rifle kicks less, for a Hare my size, that’s important.”

“So, what’s the plan” Toddy asked, as we all sat down with the team to plan our first action.

“It was a classic OSS, assassination action. A wolf in black death’s head uniform was tasked with removing unacceptable mammals from the local population…mostly smaller predators and very large prey mammals. There were rumors they were actually using the prey for food. This was, just wasn’t believable, but one of our new team had seen it…himself. This small black wolf, Sergeant TheLewit was doing a reconnoiter (recon) of the area, looking for weak areas and he heard howling and a shooting. He got a little closer and saw a pack of these mammals dressed in black uniforms grilling a bull, while his mate and calves were bawling. More shots, and the family was quiet. After posing with the dead family, the feast began.

“This is who your target is, this officer and any of his mammals you can get with him, but we really need him eliminated.”

Toddy and I listened to who our target was, Toddy said, ”We can do this, do you know or suspect where they bivouac, I’m guessing they like their comfort?”

I had a simpler question, “Do they have support of the locals, the politicians, any mammals who hate small chompers or large cud chewers? They must have support, we need to cut off all the heads involved, it’s not just the black wolves in uniform who are doing this, they’ve got to have support.”

Toddy thought for a minute or two, “We need to find out who the civilians are supporting this, the military thugs are the tool, who are the mammals helping them, driving them on. They need to be shaking under their beds, terrified of an arrow in their chest, or a wire noose around their neck and hanging them on a branch like fruit.”

The wolves gave a loud, “Gulp!...looked at each other and then at us. Who are you guys?”

“Nobody of consequence, but he is Red because the Devil made him that way, I am grey because ashes will follow the fire of our wrath.”

“Hare, forget I said anything, OK…we’re good, right? Damn mammals, who are you?”

“We’re Wild Bull Donovan’s boys” and we both smiled.

“Who’s he?” they all asked.

“Nobody of any consequence…but he makes us look gentle, cute and fuzzy”, we both had Level IV Smirks, for once, mine worked. Toddy’s was better, lots more teeth…I was always risking being labeled ‘cute’, a Hare’s occupational hazard.”

“We’re going out tonight” Toddy said…do you have a wolf to guide us, you just need to get us close and wait to bring us back, we’ll get ourselves closer.”

Sergeant TheLewit held out his paw giving us both a welcome and respect, “I’ll be proud to help you, it really hurt to watch and not be able to do anything…I never watch again.” We’d found another warrior.

An hour later we had our bows in hand, our quivers held the arrows so the shafts wouldn’t rattle, all our arrowheads razor sharp and nothing metal to rattle. We also carried a few knives carried all over us, also razor sharp. I was pretty good at knife throwing, too many bored hours in the barn when it rained, I was also deadly throwing an ax. Toddy’s weapon of choice was his longbow, a true antique going back over 200 years, new bowstring of course. Sergeant TheLewit led the way, that wolf was ghost quiet…he smelled a sentry, they smoked such horrible cigarettes even I could smell him. We interrupted this black uniformed thug who was attacking a vixen at a small farm holding. I scaled down the “where would you stick a zebbra if he was facing away from you” for the wolf. I had to thank the SOE badger, the wolf was so surprised he never even made a noise when this Hare’s knife bisected his black heart. Of course, the vixen, now she made noise.”

Toddy got her calmed down and quiet. She looked at me and called me “Lapin?”…Toddy smirked, “Bunny”.

“Oh, well, thank you very much…I’ll wait the next time I’m rescuing damsels in distress…I’ll give her a lapin.”

Toddy just laughed, “Ah, my brother, such a delicate flower Hares are,” and almost achieved a Level V Smirk, but his laughing stopped it.

Toddy and TheLewit could actually talk to the vixen named Miette, she started shaking badly, worried if the black wolves found her attacker dead they’d kill her.

Hearing, “No, little one, we’ll take him with us,” Miette stopped shaking.

Toddy asked her, “Who in town were the friends of the black wolves?”

Miette’s responses were sad, but told us a lot, “The mayor, banker, school principal (who had several teachers taken away), and even the priest.” Miette also showed us where their houses were and we decided to pay them a visit…now.

Miette just sat there staring at a wolf, fox and a bunny (“Hare, I’m a Hare!”), gave us each a kiss on our cheeks and a hug…then promptly fainted.  

Sergeant TheLewit had studied the town and knew the best ways to get to the houses of the collaborators Miette named.

The mayor, a goat, was easy to find, and a coward, the wolf ended his miserable life with a wire noose around his neck, we hung him from a tree naked.

The banker, a very large ram, he had a heart attack when we woke him in his bed…he gave a gurgle and turned blue. Toddy actually looked disappointed, “He shouldn’t have died in bed!”

So, I hung him upside down, naked from his stairway, more embarrassing that way….well, I tied the knot, Toddy and Sergeant TheLewit held him up, he was FAT.

The school principle, a sow, well, as Sergeant TheLewit said, “That was, um, that was truly…” and then he vomited, “who taught you to do that?” We hung her from a tree in her back yard…yes, also naked…always leave your political victim to be scorned and laughed at!

The priest, a grey fox, we saved for last. If the mammals belonged to a different faith, or didn’t attend to his sermons, they disappeared. Villagers attended out of fear. Toddy was embarrassed, a Fox, colluding with black wolves, having mammals tortured and killed. I was even a bit shocked, but the fox deserved “what he sowed so shall he reap”. The priest looked very good on the altar…he’s lucky we couldn’t’ find any large nails.

It was a good start, the next morning a jeep was at our tent to “escort” us to see “Wild Bull”…

He sat there looking at us…staring at Toddy and then me. We were at attention looking straight ahead. Soon, a wolf captain entered, and a Leftenant Badger I recognized from Camp X. He was smiling from ear to ear, his eyes watering from holding in a laugh.

Finally, he couldn’t hold it any more, “What the effing hell! Who taught you do that?! “That was bloody amazing!”…and was wiping tears out of his eyes.

“Um, you did leftenant…talking about a zebbra remember” I smirked…just a Level I.

“Hmmm. so I did, nice when someone listens,”…he sighed, “how’d you know who to go after?

Toddy rubbed his ears, “We stopped a black wolf from raping a vixen. Sergeant TheLewit found him, Hopps did the knifework and I calmed the vixen down and interrogated her to find out who the village traitors were. Sergeant TheLewit knew the village…so, we improvised and “went to town” as it were. Those 4 were the only ones the vixen knew for sure were helping the black wolves.”

“Well Wild Bull” said the wolf Captain with the Badger nodding in the background, “Are they what we said they are?”

“Gentlemammals, I was wrong, I apologize. I let my biases get in my way and almost broke up a team that managed to scare the pellets out of a platoon of combat wolves. I heard Sergeant TheLewit still isn’t eating, you really shocked that poor mammal.”

I smiled, “Sir, it’s what we were taught to do…scare our enemies, in uniform or out.”

“I’d love to hear what the town residents think this morning,” Toddy smirked, certainly to be some new elections being held.

“Sir, do you still want us to go after the wolf commander of this unit?” I asked.

“Actually not, let’s let the psychological effects build up a bit, get the mammals looking at the black wolves as a group they’d really prefer not to be buddies”…Wild Bull was rubbing his eyes, “Let them not sleep well or overreact to noises in the night. If you really want to know, in a week or so, go see the vixen you rescued, she might have news we can use.”

Toddy suggested, “Sir, what would you think of me shooting an arrow into the heart of the town? More psych stuff…I could paint the shaft black and the fletching red to look scarier.”

The Badger laughed again, “Oh, I think that’d be great fun, as long as you’re not too close.”

_Hopps Lake, Present Day_

“Otto, I just don’t have anything to say. I know it’s a different time and a different place…and these were truly evil mammals. Judy may disagree with me, but I’d like to hope I’d have the courage of You or Toddy if I was in the same situation.”

Otto looked at Nick, nodding slowly, and staring at the Fox. “Son, in that war, we did what he had to do to stop evil. An evil not seen for a long time. An evil and political design to crush the world and make slaves of the mammals who weren’t just eliminated and turned into soap….I hope you never have to make the choices Toddy and I, and a lot of other mammals made.” He laughed to himself, “Nick, this is just the start of it, Toddy and I go on. Let’s start up tomorrow morning, maybe go into town for a change, I don’t get out enough…maybe some blueberry something at Gideons…say what you will, that todd can bake.”

“Let’s go get dinner, any chair gets hard after a long time sitting…no pizza tonight, gotta’ eat lighter, was burping all night long.”


	8. Thursday Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Good, Bad, Recovery...

**Thursday Morning**

Otto was feeling his age this morning. It felt good to share with his Grandson-in-law?  ‘Oh hell, Judy’s mate’….Grandson-in-law…that’s terrible…bout’ as bad as a southern mammal talking about his 3rd cousin twice removed.”  He laughed to himself, ‘Removed from what, and just how much is a 3rd cousin a cousin anyway?...truly, these mammals don’t’ have enough to do or their family tree doesn’t have enough branches to it’.

“Yep”, Otto said out loud, “I do feel my age, but I don’t feel old. It’s been a long time that I haven’t felt old.  I didn’t realize how much I missed my Foxes, my Fox family.”  ‘Nick, Son, what have you done to me?’ he smirked.  “Feels darn good to smirk again, never really did get the eyes quite right for a true Fox Level II and above smirk,’ Otto lamented, ‘got darned close though!’

Letting out a big sigh, Otto looked over and was surprised to see his Grandkit Judy. “Yes, my little vixen…”

Judy’s expression was of shock, mouth open and her paws starting to cover her muzzle, “Vixen?” “Pop Pop, are you OK this morning?”

Nick had walked up behind his mate and heard her shocked reply, “Judith, we have to talk, excuse us a second Otto.” as he led her away.

“Judith!?”…’Nick’s never called me Judith!” she started breathing more slowly…’OK, relax doe, this is important to him.’

Looking at her eyes, Nick saw his mate’s confusion, “Nick, what is going on, vixen, really?!”

“Listen to me Judy, say nothing, don’t ask me now…you promised Otto and me, you have my vow and I’m your mate”, he kissed between her ears and held her tight, “Just wait till Otto’s story is done, I’ll be able to explain things to you…you are really going to want to hear his story. Remember, he calls me “Son” now, that is strange, but, well, I guess I see that as a honor…especially as I’ve gotten to know just a little bit of who Otto Hopps was and is.”

“OK, I promised” and after elbowing Nick in the ribs, “guess I’d better go check for pellets in my pants.”

Otto really looked worried, “Judy is fine Otto, she’s checking her shorts for pellets!”

Otto and Nick were really laughing as Judy walked up.

Thumping her foot, “Had to tell him didn’t you? Thanks Nick.”

“Sniff”, then wiping the tears from his eyes, “Really Fluff, that was a perfect response, ‘checking for pellets!’”

All three were now laughing as Stu walked up…”Whats the joke?”

“Trudy and pellets in her pants” Otto responded, tears in his eyes.

“Yep, I know why Bonnie gave you your own table now Pop Pop…Trudy huh.”

The three were back laughing again as Stu wandered away, confused as ever. Judy laughed so hard she got the hiccups, making them laugh even harder. 

Nick was willing to risk a smack, “Oh that is so CUTE, those bunny hiccups and the way her ears flop forward when she “hics!”” SMACK! “Yep, it was so worth it Fluff….Owwww! I’m being oppressed!”

“Judy, we’re going to Gideon’s today, you want us to bring you anything?” Otto asked.

Hiccups stopped, Judy was shocked. “Grandpa, you’ve never asked me if I wanted anything!”

“You’ve never called me Grandpa either; I wish you would, I like that better than Pop Pop,” Otto told the doe.

“This is way too much emotion going around this table before breakfast” Nick worked in a smile/smirk combination, looking at the two Rabbits, “I haven’t even had my Badger coffee yet.”

Otto, looked at Nick and Judy for a minute, he was just staring at them not saying anything, just considering the two mammals he cared about in front of him…both of their ears were reacting, Nick’s ears sliding back, Judy’s blushing and she was holding them on the left side of her muzzle…both looking like they expected to hear something very bad. Otto finally sighed, “You two, the hardest part of all this…is when you’re old, especially as old as I am, young mammals forget I was once young. I wasn’t always a crabby old Buck, just sitting around grumbling, not able to do a lot…I was young once.”  “Nick, you’ve given me a chance to be seen when I was very young, a Buck, not knowing where I was going, what I was doing…or if I’d even get a chance to grow old...much less really old.  Thanks you two for seeing me…Oh hell” as the Buck started to tear up, sniffing.

Nick smirked, “Otto, you having hiccups won’t be nearly as cute as Judy’s.”

“Judith, give the boy a smack for me, would you please”

SMACK!

“YIP! Ow! Where’d you get the wood spoon, that’s cheating!” Nick whined

Nodding his head, Otto smiled broadly, “Thank you dear! As I was always taught, use an object to whack your opponent, you’ll just hurt your paw otherwise.” Otto sagely instructed his granddoe.

“Anyway, thanks for seeing me as not just an old Buck, going for Pizza with you kits was something I hadn’t done for years, listening to you young mammals, acting silly, watching Bailey go green when Judy and I were eating that buffalo chicken pizza…I loved that.  That’s a great gift for an old Buck…and no more sniffling, can’t do hiccups anyway, brings out rabbit farts something fierce.”

“Nick, you ready to head to Gideon’s OK Pastry or whatever he calls his bakery…I just remember it’s something kinda’ odd….and Judy, I’ll pick you up some carrot something or other…something sweet, like Nick here.”

“Ha, you’ll walk back you keep that up!” Nick threatened.

Otto reached over, softly grabbed Nick’s paw and did something funny with a finger while softly smiling.

“Ooooo, never mind Otto, I’ll be good….where’d you learn to do that.” Nick asked, rubbing his numb paw.

“A Badger showed me, wanna’ see another trick?” Otto now had a fully polished Level III smirk and got the eyes right this time.

“Nope, nope, good to go here, nothing to see, ignore the Fox and the Bunny in the corner, move along,”

“Want me to set up cones Nick, I can probably find a flare or two?” Judy was doing a pretty credible Level II herself….impressing both Otto and Nick.

“There’s way too much Fox at this table” and they all broke up laughing. “Otto, you have to teach me that trick” while Nick rubbed some feeling back into his paw..

“Time to go, blueberries a wasting, Nick, did you reserve us a truck?”

Nick was shaking his head no, “Oops, sorry, forgot all about it.”

“Well, better steal one out of the garage, there’s a beautiful restored one with a big engine in there, just getting dusty, these old bones can’t walk into town…let’s go in class…Stu will be dropping his own pellets when we ‘borrow’ it…Nick, you and Judy still know the Bunnyburrow sheriff in case we’re stopped?”

Nick nodded, “Yep, he’s a friend and Bailey works for him as a deputy too! May just give the buck a text so if he hears something from Stu about a stolen something or other he’ll clarify “it’s been borrowed”…pays to be a cop and be related to one too!”

Luckily, Nick knew how to hotwire a truck and he and Otto were waving to the Hopps boys in the garage as they rumbled away.

“See you mammals later, tell Stu thanks!” Nick smirked, ‘Man, I’m really getting to polish my smirk this trip…I’ve gotten out of practice being on the force.’

“Otto! My long-eared foxy varmint, your smirks are becoming industrial grade this week, I’m impressed” as Nick bowed his head in praise.

Gideon’s Good Food something or other was in the mirror, and the pair were heading down the road, no place to go, just looking for a good location to stop and talk.

“How about a hill, we can look at the fields and watch clouds,” Nick asked, “you know a place?...and before you ask, yes, I found some chairs in the garage before we stole, uh, borrowed, Stu’s blue baby here.”

Turns out, Otto did know a good place, it overlooked the fairgrounds where Carrot Days was held, still a lovely view and quiet.

**September 1942**

V-mail arrived today from home. I didn’t get any, didn’t really have what I considered a family to send it.  The posters always said, “Want to get a Letter, Write One”.

Toddy got a pack of letters, some even addressed to: “Toddy and Otto Reynard”.

Toddy was smiling as he handed over a letter from “our” vixens. “ _Dear Daddy and Uncle Otto, we are good, and Molly and me are sharing her bow. I hope my bow will keep you safe and helps keep Daddy safe too. I want to ask, how do you wrap anyone in your tail, it is too short. Do you use your ears, they are really soft, we checked when you were asleep one day. We know not to touch other mammals tails, they are private, ears are different. Mommy said Daddy is going to bring you home with him.  Even though you are not a fox, Mommy says you are Daddy’s brother and Mommy’s brother too!  Samantha is going to be your goddaughter, Molly and me are jealous, but we love our sister so I guess that is OK.  Mommy says Samantha will be very happy to share you with us, so that is OK too!,   Mommy says there is a lot of Hare to go around. Mommy helped me write this letter. Love, Victoria and Molly, your special Ladies._ ”

“Well” I said, “So much for dry eyes.”

Toddy watched me reading the vixens’ letter while he was opening his letter from Abigail…he froze when he started reading, he started crying and then smiling…then with a choked voice, reading the letter out loud to me, “ _My Dear Mate and Warrior, You are the father of another lovely and healthy green eyed vixen, christened, Samantha Reynard. She is healthy, happy and Vicki and Molly are absolutely shameless in their love for their little sister._   _Yes, I am doing fine, no problems at all. Would you please ask Otto if he would be willing to be the godfather of Samantha, I hope your ‘brother’ would be acceptable to you to look after his niece.  Give my warrior Hare my love. Please let me know if this is acceptable and Please, Come Home to us. Your loving mate, Abbie.”_

Toddy grabbed me and was swinging me in a circle…”Samantha! Bless my mate!” and then, he was crying again, but looking up and very proud.

“Toddy, who was Samantha?” I asked, almost afraid to inquire into such an emotional area.

Toddy sat down and patted for me to sit next to him. He gave a small whine, and put his muzzle in his paws…he looked out in the woods, not really at anyone… “She was my mother, she died protecting me from my uncle”. 

‘I was guessing the Reynards were not all one happy family,’ at least one part of them.

“I was my father’s only kit, he died when I was only several months old…my mother was widowed very young when we lost him. I have no memory of my father, just pictures.  I was partially named after him, He was Todd Reynard, my mother hated the Todd II or Todd Jr. naming conventions,” he laughed, “Reynards are nothing if not traditional, so when you bowed and then kissed Lady Victoria’s and Lady Molly’s paws, you did absolutely the correct thing.  It’s why Abigail offered you her paw, it was an honor to be treated with such respect as you gave her vixens and then her.  She considered you a Reynard from that point on.  We’re very very traditional foxes…well a Hare as my brother and godfather to Samantha, you will won’t you? well, it’s a new tradition.  Anyway, I was christened Toddy Reynard.  I had an uncle who wanted to be THE Reynard male, and not me.  He came by the house and was going to kill me.  My mother fought with him, she stopped him but was killed by this evil fox, but she didn’t finally die before she’d  killed him to protect her kit.  All I really remember of my mother, is her warm hug and bright green eyes watching me, she smelled like violets I think, it’s a feeling of a mothers’ love when I smell violets…a feeling of safety.  It means a lot to me Abigail named Samantha after my mother, the vixen who fought for me, who died for me. I know Abbie would do the same for our vixens.”

I actually said to Toddy, _“I would too! I make this vow to you!”_ I found out later vows mean a lot to foxes, especially the Reynard family.

“Would you really?” Toddy asked, eyes wide open and surprised…”you would do that for my vixens?”

_“For all of them, Abigail, Samantha, Victoria and Molly” I said, “they’re my family, I’m their warrior.”_

I said with my paw over my heart, _“Yes, I so pledge_ ”, well, that sounded pretty official to me….”I actually got it right it turned out, surprise! Reading all that Shakesbear had to count for something, taught me how to be a serious Buck when the occasion called for it.”

Toddy was amazed, I think he was used to being his family’s protector, their champion…the one mammal who would protect his family. He was alone with his family, he was an only Todd.  He now had a complete family, he had a brother…a brother who would protect those he loved with everything they had.

Toddy put his paw over his heart, he bowed his head and quietly repeated a very old vow, “ _This Todd has vowed his loyalty and life for the Reynard family, given freely as a noble Fox not born to the red, It is so accepted by this family member, Toddy Reynard, you are now and forever a Reynard and vowed to my family, to your family, one and the same!”_ he shook my paw and marked me as a brother.

“Yes, I was crying again…I’m a very teary warrior it seems…and I was now, a Reynard Fox!”

**Carrot Hill, Bunnyburrow Fairgrounds, Present Day**

Nick, once again was speechless. “Wait, you really are a Reynard?”

“Yes Nick, I am…an official Reynard” I said.

“You’re Samantha Reynard’s Godfather?...the actual Samantha Reynard, Daughter of Abigail and Toddy Reynard, sister of Victoria and Molly Reynard?”

“Yes, Sammy is my goddaughter, I’m her…well, I’m her godfather.”

“How, you’re a Hare, Um, Rabbit?” Nick asked.

“On the Reynard family history and rolls, I’m carried as a Todd, I’m an adopted Todd…Nick, I’m a Fox, Otto Hopps Reynard, Senior Todd of the Reynard family actually,” Otto laughed, “Want to kiss my ring?”

“What, ring, Foxes don’t do rings? Nick said.

Otto smiled at Nick…’So help me,’ Nick thought, ‘he managed a full Smirk Level III any fox would lay claim to’…”You really are a Reynard Fox!”

Otto sighed, “Yes, for good or bad, joy and heartache…yes, they’re my family, I’m their todd…for over 75 years.”

**October 1942**

It had been 3 weeks I think since we went into town and had our housecleaning of traitors. Toddy shot an arrow into the town center, black shaft with red fletching.  Psywarops 101, make them scared, what they can’t see will see and kill them, what they can’t hear can hear and kill them.  Things go by night with teeth and claw will rend them and kill them. 

The black wolves were not happy.

I’ll admit, I was stupid, truly truly idiotically stupid. I was by myself and very quietly skulking through the woods, Toddy was a few minutes behind me He was getting a debriefing, and me, being an impatient idiot, a Hare personality quirk I know, I’d headed out early and only carrying a pistol, no rifle or bow.  Just a snoop and scoot, avoiding being seen, a small grey Hare moving carefuly.  Yes, stupid I know, walking in the woods, looking at the farmhouse where we’d rescued the vixen several weeks before…the next thing I knew, I was in a net. 

I didn’t make any noise, but couldn’t get to a knife to cut my way out and the trap had a little bell that kept ringing whenever I’d move. I heard feet coming through the brush, “Please be Toddy! Please be Toddy!! Please be Toddy!!!’  It wasn’t.  A black wolf was staring at me, a smile slowly growing on his muzzle.  

“Kaninchenfleisch!” which I later found out meant “rabbit meat”! ‘Oh hell’, I thought, ‘I was on their menu…if they murdered a bull and his family, a Hare would be nothing to them but an appetizer.’

I was kicked several times by the wolf, he seemed to enjoy the challenge of getting me to squeak, or maybe to soften me up. I’ll never know, but he did seem to enjoy kicking this Hare’s butt all the way back to their camp.

 Back at their camp, I was unwrapped from the net, the kicking wolf grabbed me by my ears and had my fatigues cut off, dinner didn’t need clothes, they were going dress me another way (making a bad pun, I really was getting to be a Reynard fox).

I was tied up and left on the ground, this way I would have to watch and wait while the cook was sharpening his knife. He stuck the point of the blade in my leg, to test it’s sharpness or my tenderness I guess.  “I’ll admit, I squeeled like a scared rabbit when he stabbed me”.

The cook stood up laughing and licked my blood off the knife. “THUNK!” an arrow appeared in his eye, he made a noisy gurgle reaching for the shaft of the arrow, trying to pull it out as he fell forward driving the arrow further into his head when the shaft hit the ground… the four remaining black wolves were growling and looking for something to kill.

The wolf who enjoyed kicking me and cutting off my uniform came over, he was was getting out his luger and was going to shoot me, all these black wolves really seemed to enjoy their cruelty, they were always smiling at their own evil private joke. “THUNK!” One more wolf down, an arrow was in the throat of this wolf …he screamed and went down twitching.  Toddy was everywhere, two knives in his paws, the wolves couldn’t get away from him.  Knives stabbing and slashing, wolves howling and shots going off, all I could do is watch and struggle against the ropes.

I was grabbed off the ground by Toddy as he ran for the woods, red tail straight behind him, breathing heavy, I wasn’t the lightest load and I was dead weight.

He carried me till he couldn’t run any more, down to a stream and we covered ourselves in mud. I still was tied up, there hadn’t  been time to cut me loose, we had to get further away from the wolves and their sensitive noses.

Toddy was staring at me, I’d never seen him that scared, I really was his brother. His eyes were tearing up and he had his tail around me…my brother was protecting me. 

‘I wonder if Abigail asked him to bring me home too?’ I thought. I was Finally cut loose,

Toddy looked at me and smiled, “Not your best look Otto, does this qualify as ‘buck naked?” and he started laughing.”

“Yep, puns and smirks go along with foxes, better get used to it, I’m a Reynard Fox now” I told myself as Toddy smirked and laughed

“Yeah, goes along with being a Fox, you don’t have a chance Otto Hopps Reynard”, Toddy said for the first time…”Yes, you are truly my brother now, that vow made it so…guess you’re a grey Fox, not a beautiful and classy Red version’…he was laughing quietly, “Sounds good though…Abigail said it was cute, the vixens squeeled when we told them…you really caught their hearts when you called them “Ladys” and kissed their paws…Abigail told them stories of the first Reynard and of his lady, and Robin and Maid Marian…all the classic little vixen stories…you made them princesses and made them proud.”

We stayed quiet for several hours, waiting for it to get darker. I noticed Toddy kept his bow and arrows too during his attack. 

Once again, Toddy and I, now in uniform, were standing in front of “Wild Bull”, the same quiet Wolf captain and the laughing SOE Leftenant Badger was snickering away, “Bloody Buck Naked!”

“Would you gentlemammals be so kind as to tell me what the Hell happened in the woods last night, please…before this badger chokes on his cigar” we were asked.

“Well” we both said in unison.

“We were going to talk” Toddy said.

“Yes, to the vixen, who was attacked, and then I, well, Otto.”

“No wait, I went first, you were getting your debriefing” I said to Toddy.

“No, you wouldn’t wait, always have to hurry,” a Hare problem you said.

“No, you were taking too long, and I don’t have your night vision so,” I said.

“Not a good enough excuse, you should’ve waited…”

“SHUT UP!, Oh My Gawd, SHUT UP” the Bull said, “It’s like listening to my parents argue!

The badger was on the ground laughing, the wolf captain was smirking and “Wild Bull” had taken off his glasses and was rubbing between his eyes.

Toddy was awarded a Silver Star for bravery, we both earned purple hearts for injuries suffered and had KP for a week for our stupidity in getting into the situation in the first place. But, it turned out the head black wolf we were supposed to eliminate, was the wolf who was so happy kicking my Hare butt who got to enjoy an arrow in his throat…”

“Fox Luck” Toddy called it. The Reynard brothers were getting a reputation, depending on who you talked to, a good or bad one.

“Wild Bull Donovan” just kept calling us into his tent to stare at us.

I’d say, “Sir?”

He’d just wave his hoof at us and continue staring, “Quiet sergeant, I’m thinking.”

‘I could hear Toddy’s brain working in overdrive’, a simple, ‘yeah, that’s what we’re scared of, me and my brother.’

We’d be dismissed and our platoon mates would just gather around, asking, “What did he say?”

“Nothing, didn’t say anything, just kept staring at us” Toddy said, “gets pretty creepy too!”

**November 1942**

We finally moved away from this village. Toddy and I had gone to visit the Vixen Miette who we rescued.  No one knew what happened to her, she just disappeared one day.

“I hope she had family she could go move in with away from this area,” I said, “I really hope she did, I’d like to think she survived, but I’d never know for sure.”

Toddy was more honest, “We’ll never know, I’m hoping for the poor vixen, but a lone female in this zone, with all these black wolves and evil mammals…I just don’t know”.

“Well, at least she knows a Fox and a Hare cared about her and tried to help stop the evil that was in her village” I wished, “Yeah, I know, but I can hope.”

We did visit the village itself, we kept hearing how horrible it was those innocent mammals were killed, the mayor, the banker, the poor principle and worst of all, that noble priest. We just stared at these idiots.

“What about the black wolves?” we asked a few villagers,

“Oh, they weren’t that bad, just to the wrong mammals, they were trouble makers anyway!”

“Just to the wrong mammals” Toddy and I said to each other….”I miss our family, I want to go home.”

**Carrot Hill, Bunnyburrow Fairgrounds, Present Day**

Otto sighed and looked out over the hills, down to the fairgrounds and the fields further away. “Nick, I can see all the fields being worked, the kits coming home from school.  I see the mammals in trucks heading to the stores to get dinner…I don’t see any wrong mammals”

Nick looked at the view, looked at Otto and gave a small whine. Otto could hardly hear it, just a small feeling of something very sad getting a small voice…for the wrong mammals. 

“Otto, I’ve been one of those “wrong mammals” my entire life. Foxes aren’t welcome, we can’t find apartments to rent, my father couldn’t get a loan to start his business, I tried to start an amusement park, I couldn’t get a loan.  When Judy and I were trying to find a nice place where we could both live, I made a deal with her, after 15 tries, we’d give up and she’d move somewhere safe for herself. ..we kept trying, even after all those tries failed…Foxes are wrong mammals.  Remember Bonnie and Stu pushing Fox tasers and Fox Away on Judy when she was going to Zootopia.  Remember what it was like when I first came to the Hopps’ burrow.  The kits and the kerfluffle were wonderful, I love the kits…Judy’s brothers and sisters, some were terrible to her.  Judy got in fights on the train with specist animals. Remember when the Bellwether  Night Howler attacks were stopped by Judy, when we taped that insane hateful sheep, I carried Judy out of the display, she was put in an ambulance to get her safely to the hospital so they could treat her cut leg.  Chief Bogo told his officers to “ _bring me to the precinct_ ”…they muzzled me, put me in pawcuffs and beat me up because I didn’t want to wear the muzzle.  I rescued Judy and they beat me up because I was the wrong mammal.  Later I got an “Oops, honest mistake, we misunderstood”.  Really, I risked my life for their officer, but they only saw a fox, the wrong mammal.”

Nick looked at Otto and sadly shook his head, “Otto Hopps Reynard”, I grew up a wrong mammal, I’ve faced those same animals every day, my father faced those same evil animals, so did my mother, so does Judy now that she is the mate of a Fox, the wrong mammal.” Abigail, Samantha, Victoria, Molly and Toddy were wrong mammals, hated by some, vilified by others…and yes, loved by many Foxes, they gave us hope, they were the best of us…but for too many, they were the wrong mammals.

Otto just kept his head down, his ears drooping behind him with his paws covering his eyes, now he was speechless, there really wasn’t anything to say.

“Nick, can we please go home now…I feel very old.”

“Naw, you’re not old, you remember when dirt was clean!” He smirked, “Never let them see they get to you.”

“Son, I’ve got bad news…we ate your mate’s pastry, sure hope Gideon’s still open or we’ll both get the spoon.”

“Now your talking like a true Reynard”…and yes, I want to finish your story, Chief Buffalo Butt gave us the time to do it, and I’m taking full advantage of his generosity.”

Otto was a little worried, “Think Stu will notice that little dent in the bumper?”

“Dent, what dent, that was already there”.


	9. Otto in Zootopia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otto in Zootopia, a surprised Nick, and Vets night out with Ben, Bogo and Otto.

Friday Morning

Otto, was surprised, ‘After yesterdays’ talk with Nick and the way it ended, I thought I’d feel…bad, I guess’. But, the old Buck was smiling, and he couldn’t exactly tell why.

Nick and Judy both arrived at the same time today, both were looking happy and were holding paws.

“Grandpa!” Judy said, giving Otto a hug and her biggest muzzle-wide smile, “I like calling you Grandpa so much more than Pop Pop, any mammal can be a Pop Pop, you call a Buck you love Grandpa.”

Nick just nodded and gave Otto a very low level smirk, it barely qualified as a smirk at all, “You’ve made Fluff very happy Otto, you gave her something special to call you, something that is ‘her name for you,’ when she thinks of you when we’re back in the city.”

 _“Thanks Nick, for the nice surprise my young todd.”_ Otto said.

Nick, wide-eyed just stared, mouth open…” _You speak Vulpin_ ”.

 _“Of course, my long bush tailed Son, I am a Reynard Fox after all, are we not clever?”_ Otto smirked back.

“ _Yeah, yeah, Vulpin, big deal, I speak it and Nick speaks Lupin_ ” Judy said, ruining the drama..” _Ha! You aren’t the only clever one Grandpa, of the short tail Reynards”_ …Judy did manage a pretty good smirk at the end, her mate laughing at Otto’s surprised look at both of them.

“Well, damn grandkit, if we can just teach you to swear, you’ll be perfect…’cheese and crackers’, what warrior uses snack food to show anger?” He questioned.

Nick looked at Judy…giving her a tiny nod, “show the mammal…let’s make sure no kits are nearby.”

Otto leaned in to hear her “rough” version of profanity.

** One earth-shaking minute later… **

Ears back, whiskers singed and the badger coffee rewarmed, Otto had to admit, “Damn darling, you wove Vulpin, Common, Lupin and a few other words I’d never heard before into an amazing tapestry of…sorry, I’m still a bit fuzzy after that…I bow to a master”

Nick gave a true Level III smirk…”Told ya!...Judy knows the words, hell, she’s been called most of them when we’re arresting mammals. We even have a betting sheet we fill out guessing what we’ll be called by the perps in the back of the squad car.”

“Grandpa” Judy smiled a little bit, “I know the words, and can use them correctly with the correct pronunciation, but I was raised better and my mate prefers me to be his Lady. Profanity isn’t cute, Nick prefers to see me as cute, I try and be the Doe my Fox loves, he’s really trying to remain the Fox his rabbit loves…seems to be working out.”

“Nick, Dad wanted to know where the dent in his blue truck came from…you and Grandpa know anything about that?” given in Judy’s best detective droll.

“Gee, Otto, let’s get out somewhere to talk, places to go, the War to discuss..and I did remember to reserve a truck for this morning.” Nick replied while walking out of the dining area very quickly, kissing Judy without slowing down.

“Gee, look at the time, Buck has to go, can’t keep your Fox waiting kit”

“Don’t recall either of them moving that quickly before…but they did remember their badger coffee.” Bonnie noticed, “what did you say to them dear?”

“Oh nothing, something about a dented bumper on Dad’s truck…you know, the one you dented leaning to drive it.”

“Judith!” That is a terrible smirk you just did, Nick would be proud of that one himself, Bonnie smirked…truly not a true smirk, but she was trying as the two Does broke down laughing.

“Poor Stu,” Bonnie said patting Judy’s shoulder, “he is so confused by this visit, Nick and Pop Pop chatting like old friends.”

“Mom, he asked me to call him Grandpa.” Judy said softly to her mother.

“Dear”…she sniffled, “Nick is helping him…please, keep calling him Grandpa.”

“Well, where to today” Nick asked….”School, lake, fields?”

“Zootopia” Buck said, “I need to ride a train, let’s go to Zootopia, my treat! I want to meet Buffalo Butt.”

“Well…damn Otto…just, well damn, let’s go Rabbit, Sergeant, Hare, Fox…all, all 5 of us can go! Maybe we can get a group rate!” Nick Yipped! “A road trip!”

** On the Zootopia Express **

Nick and Otto were lucky, the train was almost empty, and they got an upper level all to themselves. Nick found the food car, got empty cups (no Badger coffee served on the train but Nick had brought their own stash) but Gideon’s Pastries were now carried. Life was good, or at least well caffeinated and fed.

** November 1942 **

Wild Bull Donovan finally figured what he was going to do with the Reynard Brothers, his smallest and most interesting OSS team. Every mission they’d been tasked to complete was done. All successful, all without a loss of life of the good mammals, and the black wolves, according to captured members debriefing before they were hung, were spooked by the idea of an operational large group they couldn’t find, hear, smell or even guess what mammals made up this ghost devil unit. The black wolves called them the “Teufelsbocker”, or basically, “Devil’s Archers”.

Wild Bull Donovan was pleased, he was smiling at his Teufelsbocker team.

“Toddy asked me in Vulpin, “ _Is he smiling or constipated?_ ”

Wild Bull looked at Toddy, and smiled, _“No, just happy…I speak Vulpin, Privates Reynard and Hopps_.”

“Nice going Fox, he speaks Vulpin” I said in Lupin to Toddy, we’d been teaching each other our languages. I’d gotten pretty good at Vulpin signing too!

“Recruits Hopps and Todd, I also speak Lupin…want to try for enlistee?” the Bull smirked, a Level III at least.

“Very impressive sir!” we both said…”permission to just die now sir!”

“My clever mammals, remember, we’re in the intelligence service, your talents are fairly broad and you’ve been able to integrate both your weaknesses and your strengths into an impressive team. Who’d have thought a Fox and Rabbit would be partners.”

“I’m a Hare sir” I corrected.

“Hopps, you are many things, but you are a Rabbit, not a Hare” Donovan said, looking at a file on his desk, “Born in 1921, Bunnyburrow, enlisted as a Hare in Zootopia, an excellent troop, poor in water, excellent tradecraft and superb partner with a Fox.”

All I could do is start to shake, looking at the officer who could end my Army career and separate me from my brother Toddy, leaving him exposed, I couldn’t keep my promise to bring him home. I started to tear up. “Sir, please sir…don’t release my file…Sergeant Reynard and I are a team, we are now brothers…we’re a team sir.” All I could do is lower my head…then hold it straight up, ears correct and looking the Bull in the eyes. Sir, may the Sergeant speak?””

“Of course sergeant, on or off the record as you wish.” Wild Bull motioned with his hoof, “talk to me son.”

“Sir, I am officially now a Fox, a Reynard Family Fox, carried as such on their family rolls, not as an honorary member of the family, but as a full blooded and certified Non-Red Fox and the godfather of Sergeant Todd’s new vixen Samantha. What I was originally, was a Rabbit, what I am now, is a Fox. A rather ugly version of a Vulpis Vulpis to be sure, but a Vulpis still. Please sir, let this Fox continue to fight the battle with his fellow Fox and Brother, Sergeant Reynard…You are stronger with us than without us….Sir!” and I stood at attention, staring straight ahead.

Clearing his throat, the Bull took off his glasses and was rubbing his eyes. He really looked very sad. He stared at the two of us for what felt like forever and then, began to speak, not to anyone, just thinking out-loud. “What I have to understand, is a very simple thing. A Rabbit cannot serve in the Army, they are not considered as Warrior material or capable of fulfilling the needs of the service. Hares are considered as somewhat more rugged and less delicate emotionally than Rabbits. While not optimal for the military, Hares have proven they are capable, in some limited capacities, to serve minor support roles in non-combat billets. I see in front of me, a team of mammals who were partnered during basic training, who have achieved excellence and graduated as amazing troops. Troops who when faced with the safe billet in the performance of their duties as instructors volunteered for OSS training, with the request they remain as partners, a team who during advanced training showed a phenomenal ability to perform with great ingenuity and skill. While later in combat, this team managed to earn the respect and even fear of wolf combat veterans, achieving what had been their original challenge while using their OSS training to determine which mammals in an enemy held village were actually collaborators supporting the black wolves. In fact, eliminating these collaborators in such a way to use their training creating psychological warfare impacts on the village residents and the black wolves. One member of the team managed to rescue the captured member of the team, using a bow and arrow, killing two wolves who were torturing the team member, and then using knives and physical attacks, managed to kill two other black wolves, rescue the injured team member and doing a classic escape and evasion from trained black wolf teams until such time as the team could return to their camp.”

The “Wild Bull” just sat there looking at us. He actually smiled, and said in Vulpine, “ _You may not be the best looking team of Foxes this Bull has ever seen, but you’re the best…carry on Todds”_

Just then, the Leftenant Badger entered the tent. “Did you give them the good news, Sir?”

“No, just torturing them for a little bit” he laughed. “Gentlemammals, you’re going with the Leftenant here, seems his mammals at the Special Operations Executive (SOE) want to meet you and discuss some of your techniques they may be able to use…and share with us once they get them polished…Dismissed…oh, one other thing, I’ve been very proud to be your commander.” And then, Wild Bull Donovan, stood, came to attention, and saluted us!

** Zootopia, Precinct 1 **

We had a great time on the train, Otto hadn’t been to Zootopia for over 70 years.

“It’s changed a little bit,” he noted…”still smells the same though. Now, please, let’s go meet Chief Buffalo Butt.”

“Um, please…just call him Chief Bogo if you would, he was kind enough to let Judy and me come up to visit you when you asked.” Nick pleaded, just a small bit.

“Don’t worry Son, won’t embarrass you too much”, all done with a pretty good smirk.

“Hi Ben, this is Judy’s grandfather, Otto Hopps, we’re up visiting her family and Otto requested to come and meet the ZPD mammals in his granddoe’s life…you’re the first” as Nick introduced Ben,”Otto, this is Benjamin Clawhauser. He’s the officer who is Judy’s contact when she needs help and is always there for her.”

Ben’s ears were bright pink as he shook Otto’s paw, ”Sir, it’s great to meet you.”

“Sir? Ben, I was a sergeant, never a sir, I worked for a living!” Otto did his enlisted line, and laughed, “Glad to meet you son, Judy talks about what a good friend you are to her and Nick.”

‘Oh jeeze, he’s smirking’ Nick squeeked inside.

“Ben, where’s Buffalo Butt sit, I want to meet that mammal…would you please ask him if he’d take a minute to talk to one of his officers grandbuck? I’d really appreciate it Son.”

A second later “WILDE! Get up here!”

Otto looked upstairs, “Oh, never mind, I can find him” and headed for the elevators, up to meet the chief. “Nick, you stay here with Ben, I’ll be done in a few…trust me Son, it’ll be OK.”

Nick and Ben just stared at each other…”Well, this should be interesting…Ben, you’re a witness, Otto overpowered me, I was on the floor, next to you, unable to stop him, he was just too fast.”

“Chief Bogo, may I come in?...I’m Officer Hopps grandbuck and we need to talk.”

Bogo had seen interesting mammals come through his door, none more interesting than the old Rabbit he saw in front of him now. “Please, come in Sir, Uh, Mr. Hopps”.

“Son, as I told Benjamin downstairs, I was a sergeant, I worked for a living, never was a Sir, and then laughed….jeeze, that line never gets old with the youngsters…they get so embarrassed.”

“So Adrian, may I call you Adrian? Anyway, Adrian, when Judy was being assigned to Precinct 1 I wanted to see who she’d be working with, who her officers would be and what they’d done for a career…so, I called some friends and did some checking.”

Bogo just stared at this old Rabbit..he took off his glasses and was rubbing between his eyes.

“Adrian, I used to watch my old commander do exactly that same thing when he had me and my partner Sergeant Toddy Reynard, standing at attention in front of him…usually after something we’d done. Any, if you hadn’t heard of him, Wild Bull Donovan, he was a Cape Buffalo too, when you did that it really reminded me of him, bless his soul, he was a warrior and a great commanding officer….and yes, I was in the OSS in the bad old days. I still have a bunch of friends, well, the grandkit’s of friends, who know me and I can call them when I need something simple.”

Bogo stopped rubbing his eyes, put his glasses back on and smiled at the old warrior Rabbit…”All right, what did you find out, this should be good?”

“Well” Otto smiled a sad smile and sat back, ready to give a debriefing, “You enlisted at a very young age, lied about your age in fact, you were only 15 but large enough to look older. You came from a terrible family background, criminal father and your older siblings were also into crime, you started as a terrible soldier, had control issues and you met a partner in Basic Training who changed your life, a Zebra, who later became your partner in the Marines and later in the ZPD, who sadly died protecting your life. You served several tours in bad areas, once you were the only survivor of 3 squads who were ambushed, you were forced off the field when you wouldn’t leave your dead troopers behind and you were bleeding out. You have a purple heart with 4 clusters, a bronze star, a silver star and were the youngest sergeant in the past fifty years. You care about your officers, you have put more silver plaques on the wall downstairs than you ever wanted to. I know my grand son-in-law Nick Wilde thinks very highly of you and knows how much you truly love your officers and are a “softy” as he says…I also know he calls you, “Buffalo Butt”, that he also respects you very highly. I know you did not want Judith Laverne Hopps to be an officer assigned to you, you saw her as a weak animal and did not want to add her plaque to the wall. I am very proud you are Judy’s commanding officer, I would have been proud to serve under you when I was in the Army, you would have fit right in sitting next to Wild Bull, I believe he would have liked you as a kindred spirit. I also truly appreciate you willingly sending Nick and Judy to talk with and listen to an old Buck who the echoes and voices were just getting too loud to ignore any more. It has truly helped this old veteran more than I would have ever expected, especially after so long.”

Bogo didn’t know what to say? “Uh, would you like some coffee?”

“Son, I never turned down a cup of coffee in my life…black of course.” They both started laughing.

Otto was drinking his coffee and looked very sad, “Benjamin’s not handling it well, is he? Before you ask, yes, I know about him too…I’m thorough, I checked your officers…Ben, he stuck out the most after you did Adrian.”

Bogo looked up at the ceiling, and back down slowly at the Buck, “Otto, he is one of the kindest officers I know, to everyone, he really tries. He’s killing himself with food, with sweets. It’s how he forgets, how he quiets the voices and the memories down. I’m about the only mammal at the ZPD who knows who Benjamin Clawhauser truly is, or was actually. Neither one of us talks about what we did, what we saw…when Officers Wilde-Hopps asked for permission to talk to you on Monday and why…after the two of them left to go up and talk with you, Ben was the one I asked to come up for a few minutes…the voices and the pain just came back with a hammer, Ben listened, but I so didn’t want to give him another voice in his choir of bad memories.”

Otto looked down at his coffee, swinging his legs in the very large chair, Adrian, do you wanna’ talk, I’ve got all day and I’ve sure lightened my load with Nick…that Fox actually helped this Rabbit. No tall tales, no BS’ing the boy, I was brutally honest about myself and what I’d been doing way back when as a 21 year old Buck. See, I lied too, to get in the service, Rabbits couldn’t enlist, so I came to Zootopia and said a was a Hare, was partnered with a Fox in basic training, we were together in the Army, OSS, fighting the black wolves and then some, we saved each other’s life more than once. Believe it or not, I’m a Fox on the Army rolls, I was made a member of the Reynard Fox family line, officially and am a Non-Red Reynard Todd, actually, I’m the Sr. Reynard Todd in the family. Ranger-Scouts Honor….life has been interesting for this Rabbit/Hare/Fox.”

Bogo looked at Otto and left his glasses on the desk, “Otto, I would like to talk a bit.”…calling Ben on the phone, “Ben, tell Wilde to go to lunch, come back later, I’m entertaining a VIP.”

“Well, hell, I’m going to go visit Mom, she’ll be surprised…bye Ben, I’ll see you later”

Ben could hear Bogo and Otto upstairs…laughing. ‘I can’t recall the last time I actually heard him laughing like that’, Ben was smiling and opening up another box of Lucky Chomps…’I hate these damn things and poured on the milk…I really hate these’ and the cheetah tried not to listen to the memories for a while.

Two hours later Nick came back…no Otto. Ben gave Nick a message, “Wilde, go do paperwork, I’ll ring you in your office…Bogo”

“Well, guess I’ll be productive…Thanks Otto!” as Nick headed off to do paperwork. Actually, he took a nap..woke up, and called Fluff.

“Nick,hey, when are you and Grandpa coming home? Where’d you go, you’re not at the lake or Gideon’s House of Calories”

“Carrots”, holding his phone around so Judy could see where he was, “Surprise! We’re in Zootopia! Otto wanted to go to Zootopia, we talked on the train, then, Surprise! He wanted to see the precinct building, he met Ben…who of course squeeled some…and then”

“Nooooo, he wanted to meet Bogo?” She squeeked.

“Nope…he wanted to meet Buffalo Butt...I’m so dead…maybe”.

“Did he? Did he meet the Chief?” Squeeking again.

“Well, Bogo called down, Otto said, “wait here, I’ll see him on my own.” And he took the elevator up…that was..let’s see, 4 hours ago and I was told to go catch up on paperwork and they’ll call me when he’s ready to go.”

“Well, are you doing paperwork or taking a nap?....Nap right”

“Fluff, you cut me to the core…yes, nap. Whoops, chief’s calling, I’ll be back in touch.”

I met Otto, the Chief and Ben in the front of the building. “Wilde, you can go home, Otto, Ben and I are going out to dinner, just a vet’s night out. You can come in the morning, after breakfast, and Otto says he be ready to go back to Bunnyburrow then.”

Nick gave Otto a “really, go home” look. Otto walked over, patted Nick on the shoulder and said quietly, “Nick, Son, by talking with you, you’ve opened my life, you gave me a chance to be happy again, not just a bitter buck with a past I was unwilling to remember. I looked up Bogo’s and Ben’s records when Judy was coming here, you made me able to do for Bogo and Ben, what you did for me. Thank you son, I’ll see you in the morning…and Otto gave Nick a hug…not a smirk to be seen.”

“See you guys tomorrow morning, he’d better not come back tattoo’d or Hopps will kick your butts…he likes Buffalo Chicken Pizza, ask him about C-Rat Lima beans..still gagging on that one.”

‘Well, at least they had the class to drop me off home instead of giving me busfare’ Nick mused…’yeah, whoop!’

Judy look concerned, so did Bonnie, “Nick, where’s Grandpa?”

“He’s out on the town with Chief Bogo and Ben Clawhauser…they’re having a ‘Vet’s Night Out’ and Bogo called it.” Nick started laughing. “Fluff, it turns out, when you were assigned to the 1st Precinct, your Grandpa contacted friends he used to work for/with and had them give him the skinny, well, not in Ben’s case, anyway, about the Chief and others you’d be dealing with. Turns out…I guess the Chief and Ben are real warriors, with some of the same challenges Otto was having. Gramps told me I had helped him with his own background and he was able to help Bogo and Ben a little with their own stuff. Judy, he hugged me, in front of everyone, and thanked me…jeeze, your Fox was shocked!”

“Nick…Thank you!” Bonnie said, she was crying, Judy was crying too!

“You guys all right?...No hiccups, they’re way too cute with bunnies…Cute! Cute! Cute!”….’yeah, I’m so dead when I get back up to Bunnyburrow.’ “I’ll let you know when we leave, the trucks at the station so we can drive ourselves. If you want to be wonderful mammals, you can put a thermos of fresh Badger coffee in the truck for when we arrive. Good night you guys, love you both.”

“Bye Nick, thanks for all this, you gave us a gift, you may never realize how much …Goodnight .”

All Nick could wonder was a simple, ‘What did I open up’ and ‘I hope it’s a good thing’….and more importantly, what do I want on my pizza! Woohoo! No Veggies!


End file.
